March 25, 2025
After Virgin Trains and Spain’s Evolyn, another candidate has come forward with plans to run passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel: British Gemini Trains. There is no timescale yet for when Eurostar’s new potential competitor plans to run services between London and continental Europe, particularly Paris and Brussels, although other media are talking about 2029. […]
March 25, 2025
Paris residents voted in a referendum on Sunday to make hundreds of streets car-free. With this measure, the left-wing city council wants to reduce car use further, improve air quality, and increase the quality of life in the French capital. However, turnout was low: barely 4% of the 1.4 million residents bothered to vote. Two-thirds […]
March 25, 2025
On May 27th, Hasselt University will award an honorary doctorate to Hugo Bollen, the inventor of the walking and cycling node network. Hugo Bollen, a former engineer at the Kempen Coal Mines (Kempische Steenkoolmijnen), came up with the now widespread cycling and walking junction network years ago. The doctorate is a recognition of his essential […]
March 24, 2025
According to the Progress Report on the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen, nitrogen oxide emissions in Flanders have fallen by 35 percent between 2015 and 2022, and ammonia emissions have fallen by 9 percent in those seven years. Environment Minister Jo Brouns presented the report on Friday, March 21st. Nitrogen oxides (80%) mainly come from the […]
March 24, 2025
Brussels Airport is adding six new destinations to its network this summer, starting on March 30th. These destinations are both within Europe and intercontinental. Passengers will be able to fly directly from Brussels Airport to 180 destinations offered by 68 airlines. Some new summer destinations, such as Curaçao (TUI fly) and Bangkok (Thai Airways International), […]
March 22, 2025
With 540,356 bikes sold, bicycle sales in Belgium have declined for the second consecutive year. Mobility federation Traxio Velo announced this at the Bike Brussels trade fair opening at Tour & Taxis, which runs until Sunday. However, this slight 4.75% drop isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, says Frank Glorieux, General Secretary of Traxio Velo. […]
March 21, 2025
North Sea Port, the cross-border port area between Vlissingen (the Netherlands) and Ghent (Belgium), has installed a new jetty with shore power. Ships arriving in Ghent must now dock here. With this investment, North Sea Port strengthens its position as a European sustainable port. The sustainable jetty, located at the head of the Grootdok, is […]
March 20, 2025
Advertisers may have returned, and the value may be valued again at 44 billion dollars, but individuals and companies continue to abandon social media platform X. For example, De Lijn, NMBS/SNCB, TEC, and MIVB/STIB, each with a separate message on the same platform, have stated that they are leaving X. The main reason seems to […]
March 20, 2025
Four scientists from KU Leuven, the University of Ghent, and Transport and Mobility Leuven have concluded that it makes no sense to choose the train instead of the plane for trips within the European Union to emit less CO2. Due to the European emission ceilings, someone else will emit the saved CO2 anyway. The Emission […]
March 19, 2025
“Working on better sidewalks with Stapscore,” a project to improve the quality of sidewalks in Flanders, has won the Flemish Road Safety Award 2025. The winner was announced on Tuesday at the annual road safety conference organized by the Flemish Foundation for Road Safety (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV). The award is presented to projects […]
March 19, 2025
The Belgian FPS Mobility registered 277 reports on unruly airline passengers in 2024, according to the newspaper Le Soir. Although FPS Mobility does not have precise statistics on in-flight aggression, crew testimony shows that alcohol and nicotine addiction often play a role in incidents. Indeed, according to the figures on the in-flight incident count of […]
March 18, 2025
De Lijn’s buses and streetcars were involved in a combined 23 accidents per day last year, a record average. Overall, in 2024, buses were involved in 7,207 accidents, and streetcars in 1,191. So, the numbers are on the rise, as are the number of victims. The figures also show that De Lijn is often not […]
March 18, 2025
According to Vias Institute’s latest road safety barometer, based on police data, the number of accidents with injuries in Belgium fell slightly in 2024 (-3 %). However, the number of accidents involving electric scooters rose by nine percent, while there was a decline between 2022 and 2023. Last year, the police recorded 1,745 accidents involving […]
March 18, 2025
Stellantis is partnering with Swedish startup Luvly to explore its innovative flat-pack vehicle production method. This method could dramatically reduce manufacturing and transportation costs and prove a worthwhile Western alternative to Chinese low-cost production. With the Citroën Ami and its siblings at Opel (Rock-e) and Fiat (Topolino), Stellantis has already explored the market for microcars. […]
March 17, 2025
Space X boss Elon Musk wants Starship to make its first trip to Mars by the end of 2026, with the humanoid robot Tesla Optimus aboard. He said three to five years later, he could follow flights with humans. “The Starship will leave for Mars late next year, with Optimus on board. If landings go […]
March 17, 2025
A recent report indicates that London’s air quality has significantly improved since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, an area where polluting vehicles are banned or must pay a congestion charge to enter. Annual roadside NO2 concentrations across the capital have been nearly halved (49%) between 2016 and 2023, while preliminary figures indicate London […]
March 17, 2025
Local police teams from the Belgian Borinage region in Henegouwen have caught a motorist who was repeatedly flashed with fake license plates. By analyzing the plates, the police were able to trace the real license plate. They discovered three different license plates at the driver’s home, two of which were fake. It later turned out that […]
March 14, 2025
At its yearly Kenshiki event in Brussels, Toyota also unveiled the FT-Me. This microcar concept represents Toyota’s vision for all-electric micro-mobility that “combines premium design with affordability.” Inspired by the success of Toyota’s mobility solutions developed for the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the FT-Me aims to address the evolving needs […]
March 14, 2025
The works for the first phase of the streetcar connection between Brussels Airport and the NATO headquarters in Haren will start at the end of this year. So reports De Werkvennootschap, which is coordinating the project. It involves the construction of the streetcar and bicycle viaduct over the Brussels Ring in Machelen. The works should […]
March 14, 2025
Since the Covid-19 crisis, there has been a “permanent change in household mobility behavior.” In particular, expenditures on car use have fallen significantly. That is the conclusion of a recent report by the Federal Planning Bureau and the Federal Public Service Mobility. However, there is a big difference between the regions. Households living in Wallonia […]
March 14, 2025
Bad luck to those who would like to book city trips on the Nightjet trains: The Nightjet will stop running between Brussels and Berlin. From March 27th, the offer will disappear, according to the NMBS/SNCB international train travel website. The reason for the discontinuation of the services is not given, but the competition has probably […]
March 13, 2025
According to communications from Wanfeng to investors, Chinese concern Wanfeng wants to acquire Volocopter, the German maker of flying cabs that take off vertically. Volocopter initiated bankruptcy proceedings late last year and hoped for a relaunch with new investors. Wanfeng wants to acquire the start-up for 10 million euros. Pioneer Volocopter makes vertically rising electric […]
March 12, 2025
The Air France-KLM Group and Lufthansa aim for a stake in Spanish airline Air Europa. According to Spanish online media El Confidential, they have each submitted separate bids to enter Air Europa’s capital for 300 million and 240 million euros, respectively. Air Europa is Spain’s third-largest airline after Iberia and Vueling. The airline also operates […]
March 12, 2025
Another car-sharing company is pulling out of Belgium. German provider Miles Mobility will leave the country entirely just two years after entering the market, citing rampant vandalism, misuse, and theft – issues particularly severe in Brussels. Margins aren’t strong enough to compensate for the rotten apples. The company announced on Tuesday that it will gradually […]
March 11, 2025
The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB has already made more than 440 bus and streetcar stops wheelchair accessible. Many metro stations have also been adapted for persons with reduced mobility. In 2025, about half of the 2,223 above-ground pre-metro stations and bus stops have been made more accessible to persons with reduced mobility, subject to […]
March 11, 2025
In 2025, Flanders plans construction works at 43 locations on the highway. Just like last year, much attention will again be paid to renovating bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. Twenty of the 43 construction sites are essential for renewing or replacing bridges or tunnels. The sites with the most significant impact on traffic are in Antwerp, […]
March 11, 2025
Brussels-based holding company D’Ieteren enjoyed a record year with over a billion euros in pre-tax profits. The importer of VW vehicles and parent company to auto glass repairer Belron/Carglass, among others, came in at 1,065 billion euros in 2024. That’s 9.6% better than in 2023. Total sales also rose 3.5% to 12.07 billion euros. More […]
March 10, 2025
The Flemish government wants to open the new Scheldt tunnel of the Oosterweel connection on January 1, 2030, a year earlier than planned. The intention of the earlier opening is to absorb part of the rising costs, which have arisen mainly due to the PFAS contamination in the 3 M region. Gap of €800 million […]
March 10, 2025
Virgin Group’s British businessman and billionaire Richard Branson wants to raise 700 million pounds (834 million euros) from investors to launch a train service between Brussels, Paris, and London to rival Eurostar, reports the Financial Times business newspaper. Virgin expects to tune the trains as early as 2029, initially from London to Paris and Brussels […]
March 07, 2025
Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, posted a net profit of 317 million euros last year, down 5% from 2023. The drop in profits is due to the suspension of services from ElecLink, the high-voltage cable linking France and England through the Channel Tunnel. Competition from ferries also played tricks on Getlink. EuroTunnel, Getlink’s subsidiary […]
March 07, 2025
The Norwegian Transport Ministry is planning to ask the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to prepare legislation to allow municipalities to establish zero-emission zones (ZEZ). It will give the latter the possibility to reduce emissions and push for cleaner transport. The Administration will specifically look at the technical, legal, and practical aspects. It also stresses that […]
March 06, 2025
Brussels Airlines posted another record profit last year thanks to a “very successful” second half of the year. Adjusted operating profit (ebit) went up 11% to 59 million euros, a new record. The airline also expects “significant growth” for this year. “During the first half of the year we faced some challenges, which did not allow […]
March 05, 2025
Belgian Trends-Tendances magazine reports that Spanish-listed train builder CAF has won a tender to build hundreds of trains for Belgian railroad company NMBS/SNCB. French player Alstom, which is firmly entrenched in Belgium, missed out on the contract worth more than 3 billion euros, even though it was cheaper than the Spanish competitor. According to La […]
March 05, 2025
Last year, fewer bicycles were sold in the Netherlands than in the past ten years. The bicycle market grew steadily between 2016 and 2020, but sales have declined since the peak in the latter year. This is evident from figures from trade organizations Bovag and RAI Association. Sales peaked in 2020 when more than 1.1 million […]
March 05, 2025
Flemish public transport company De Lijn paid more than 70,000 euros in fines last year for violations of low-emission zones (LEZ), a multiple of the 2,350 euros from 2023. A total of 384 fines were involved. Especially Antwerp and Ghent, together with Brussels, the only three active LEZ in Belgium, were mainly responsible. In Antwerp, […]
March 05, 2025
In the past month of February, slightly fewer second-hand cars were registered, but noticeably more private individuals were interested in new cars. According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for Mobility Federation Traxio, “In February, 60,047 used cars were registered, a slight decrease of -0.5% (or 308 units) compared to February 2024, but 6,852 (+12.9%) units more […]
March 04, 2025
According to the NGO Transport and Environment, almost one in two new buses (49%) sold in Europe in 2024 had zero emissions—electric or hydrogen—exceeding the objectives set by the European Union on CO2 standards for buses and making city buses one of the early success stories of the European Green Deal. Fuel cell buses comprised […]
March 03, 2025
On April 1st, Flemish public transport company De Lijn will adjust its fares. As announced, the prices of all products are going up. A standard ticket will now cost 3 euros instead of 2,50 euros. According to the travelers’ organization TreinTramBus, De Lijn’s increase in fares comes at a terrible time for travelers. “Suddenly, there […]
March 03, 2025
More than 500 doctors have called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to uphold the planned 2035 phase-out of combustion engines, warning of serious health risks if the policy is weakened. The doctors criticized efforts to soften carbon dioxide (CO2) emission limits, arguing that delaying the transition would endanger public health. Road traffic […]
March 03, 2025
The nine-day railroad strike at Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB has only just ended, and the next one is already coming: some railroad unions have announced 18 strike days over the next five months. The reason for the social unrest at the railway company is the new federal government and its reform plans. These include […]
February 28, 2025
For years, the Brussels Capital Region has been demanding compliance with Brussels noise standards to limit noise pollution at Brussels Airport. The French-speaking court of first instance in Brussels has once again condemned the Belgian state for the excessive nuisance caused by night flights over the capital. At the same time, it increased the penalty […]
February 28, 2025
Consumer association Test Aankoop/Test Achats has filed a complaint with the economic inspection against twelve driving schools because their general terms and conditions are unacceptable. Some of them even violate the law. Test Aankoop/Test Achats recently investigated the general terms and conditions of 13 driving schools and identified various forms of abuse and even violations […]
February 28, 2025
The carjacking years seem far behind us as a phenomenon from the beginning of the century, but recent figures from the federal police show that consumers should take guard. There’s an increase in car thefts in Belgium, targeting certain models. With car thefts on the rise, Belgian motorists should start considering theft risk as a […]
February 28, 2025
Last year, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn carried 373 million passengers, up 4.5%. According to Director General Ann Schoubs, this increase in passengers immediately proves that the new transportation plan introduced in 2024 has worked. In 2025, 200 new e-buses will be delivered to De Lijn, and a search for 600 new drivers […]
February 26, 2025
Transavia, Air France-KLM’s low-cost airline, will impose an additional surcharge on recent tickets purchased for flights departing from France. The increase is due to the country’s rise in air travel taxes. This rises from 2.63 euros to 7.4 euros for domestic or European flights and doubles to 15 euros for non-European destinations. Remarkably, Air France […]
February 26, 2025
Fast charging specialist Electra and mobility company Bolt are entering into a strategic partnership to strengthen the transition to electric driving. The deal will give Bolt partner drivers access to the largest fast-charging network in Belgium at preferential rates. Through the partnership, which was previously launched in France, the two companies aim to accelerate the […]
February 25, 2025
Eighty percent of road deaths in Belgium are men, and injury accidents involving men are, on average, twice as severe as accidents involving women. This is mainly because men take more risks in traffic. These are some conclusions from a new statistical analysis by traffic safety institute Vias. Eighty percent of road deaths in Belgium […]
February 25, 2025
Freight transport by train in Belgium rose slightly again last year. Over 55.2 million tons of freight were transported by rail, 3.2% more than in 2023 but still less than the peak years of 2008 (73 million tons) and 2021 (63 million tons), according to data on the open data website of rail network operator […]
February 25, 2025
While one would expect a luxury carmaker like Lamborghini to bet on solid-state technology for its debut in the electric supercar market, the Italian carmaker ordered a study at Princeton University to investigate sodium-ion chemistries. The results are promising. As sodium-ion chemistries don’t rely on lithium, they are a cost-effective alternative to current lithium-ion battery […]
February 24, 2025
The Flemish government is still awaiting more than 14 million euros in outstanding fines for violations of the mileage charge. About 13 million euros of that is charged to foreign trucks. The business newspaper De Tijd reports that barely half of the fines are collected from some countries. Although about half of the freight traffic […]
February 24, 2025
The Flemish public transport company De Lijn has placed a new order for charging poles for electric buses. This time, it involves 600 to 900 charging poles from SPIE-Ekoenergetyka with a capacity of 50 to 180 kW, representing an investment of 24.2 million euros. The order is important in preparing De Lijn’s 50 depots to […]
February 24, 2025
Exactly 1,150 Tesla cars smashed the world record ‘Tesla Light Show’ on Sunday evening, February 23rd, 2025. At 7 p.m., the cars put on an impressive show with light and sound in Brustem (Sint-Truiden, Limburg) – the largest synchronized Tesla light show ever. The Droneport runway in Brustem provided the backdrop for the world record attempt. […]
February 21, 2025
The hip Brussels electric bike maker Cowboy will now fully assemble its bikes in France instead of Hungary. To do so, it will partner with ReCycles, a French manufacturer with more than 30 years of experience in the sector, which will also manage the stock of parts. The reason for the move is to enhance […]
February 21, 2025
Lizy, the Brussels-based second-hand car lease platform, is expanding its activities to the Netherlands. The company aims to make car leasing more accessible, sustainable, and cheaper. And the formula is working. In five years, Lizy has convinced more than 4,000 customers to opt for a young second-hand car instead of a new car. Lizy previously […]
February 21, 2025
Fastned, the European fast-charging company, has completed its most successful bond issue. With over €36.5 million raised in the company’s first tranche of 2025, Fastned raised the most significant amount ever in a single bond issue. More than €20 million of this latest issue resulted from new investments, and over €16 million came from existing […]
February 20, 2025
Over 4,600 shared cars were driving around in Flanders in 2024, 11% more than in 2023. The number of car sharers also increased by 22% last year to 46,600 drivers, according to the annual report of Way To Go, the former Autodelen.net. The same annual report also shows shared bicycles and e-scooters accounted for 24 […]
February 20, 2025
The Zeeland Bridge will close for eight weeks next year. The part of the bridge that opens to ships, the so-called ‘bascule bridge,’ will be renovated, and the road surface will be renewed simultaneously. The Zeeland Bridge is an impressive structure that spans more than five kilometers. It was officially inaugurated in December 1965 and […]
February 20, 2025
Some 77% of passengers who took a bus trip with De Lijn in 2024 are satisfied with their journey. This is according to a survey conducted by the Flemish Department of Mobility among 13,097 passengers between March and December last year. Only 6% of them gave the public transport company a score lower than five […]
February 20, 2025
Flanders has distributed 18,543 premiums for electric cars, totaling 72.8 million euros. Most premiums were paid to private individuals—14,637 for new vehicles (under €40,000) and 3,141 for second-hand ones. In addition, 523 premiums went to non-profit organizations and foundations and 242 to car-sharing providers. The previous Flemish Mobility Minister, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), introduced the […]
February 19, 2025
The number of cyclists in Brussels during the morning rush hour – between 8 and 9 a.m. – increased by 4 percent last year compared to 2023. Women represent 40% of Brussels cyclists. The number of cyclists has increased by an average of 12 percent annually since 2010, almost five times as much in 14 […]
