January 05, 2023
In 2022, 642 669 second-hand cars were registered in Belgium, a decrease of 9,4% (66 936 units) compared to the year before (709 605 registrations). Even compared to ‘corona year’ 2020, mobility federation Traxio registered a decline of 2,6%. In December 2022, a regression of 5% was listed, with 50 950 registrations compared to 53 […]
January 04, 2023
Drivers getting caught speeding in traffic in Flanders can request a language change when they have to appear before a judge. As a result, their file moves to a French-speaking court, resulting in a lengthy legal backlog and avoiding losing their driver’s license. In the first six months of 2022, police registered more than three […]
January 04, 2023
On Tuesday, January 3rd, the Brussels museum ‘Train World’ in Schaarbeek (Brussels) welcomed its one-millionth visitor. Train World is the museum of NMBS/SNCB, the National Company of the Belgian Railways. It is Belgium’s first real railway museum, and it opened its doors to the general public in September 2015. Visitors can get a unique view […]
January 03, 2023
The ferry connection on the Belgian river Scheldt, the so-called Antwerp ‘water bus’, is a huge success. The number of annually transported passengers increased year after year, growing from 105 000 to 775 000 in five years. That is why Aqualiner decided to deploy larger ships this year. The water bus has been operational since […]
December 30, 2022
Belgian citizens can be extremely annoyed by unsocial behavior in traffic and illegal dumping in their surroundings. Inappropriate speed, aggressive driving, inappropriate parking and illegal dumping in the neighborhood are considered among the most irritating inconveniences. That is what the latest Security Monitor 2021 – a large-scale population screening among almost 100 000 citizens by […]
December 29, 2022
Last Wednesday, wind energy production in Belgium reached record levels. That morning, at 7:15 a.m., the combined wind farms produced as much as four nuclear power plants: 4 505 MW of electricity. The new record is partly due to the expansion of wind farms on land, and at sea, the national grid manager Elia confirmed. […]
December 28, 2022
European Sleeper, the Dutch-Belgian night train service announced in February 2021, will be operational in May 2023. The train will connect Brussels, Amsterdam, and Berlin and be available three times a week in both directions. The maiden trip is planned for May 25th, departing in the German capital at 10:56 p.m. and arriving the following […]
December 27, 2022
Swedish engineer and researcher in motor vehicle safety, Astrid Linder, has developed the world’s first female crash test dummy. Linder and her team are convinced that this research can help shape the way cars will be built in the future by highlighting key differences between men and women. Some of them include females being shorter […]
December 23, 2022
In the two coming years, Flanders will install at least 10 789 additional charging points for electric vehicles. Compared to the beginning of the year, the total number will almost triple. According to Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), answering a question posed by MP Stijn Bex (Groen), Flanders is on track to achieve the […]
December 23, 2022
Today, traffic will be able to cross the steel arch bridge over the Albert Channel in Viversel (Heusden-Zolder, Limburg, Belgium) again. That is what the Flemish Waterway (Vlaamse Waterweg) announced on Thursday. All bridges on the Channel had to be raised to allow inland shipping barges with four containers stacked on deck to pass under […]
December 22, 2022
According to the European Investment Bank (EIB), Africa can earn a trillion euros annually from the production of green hydrogen from 2035. This hydrogen can be produced without CO2 emissions using solar energy and transported abroad. The ‘Africa’s Extraordinary Green Hydrogen Potential’ report, analyzing Africa’s green hydrogen potential, was commissioned by the European Investment Bank, […]
December 22, 2022
This year, Flanders installed 55 additional windmills – twelve of them to replace old units – increasing the energy production by 204 megawatts (MW) to a total of 1 748,6 MW. The new units have a capacity of 3,6 MW, compared to 2,0 mW for the older ones. They’re situated higher in the atmosphere, where […]
December 21, 2022
In recent months, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn had to cancel many planned trips. The reason for it was a shortage of staff. After an intensive recruitment campaign focusing on the largest ‘problem areas’ (Antwerp, Louvain, and the Flemish part of Brussels), De Lijn recently recruited 657 drivers. However, next year, the company […]
December 20, 2022
Trucks hauling Christmas presents to Europeans will emit an extra 10 300 tons of nitrogen oxides in December. According to a new study by the environmental organization Transport & Environment (T&E), heavy-duty vehicles transporting gifts all over Europe will produce 133% more nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in December than in other months. Carbon emissions will […]
December 19, 2022
From 2027 onward, citizens of the European Union will have to pay for the greenhouse gases they emit through their transport and the heating of their homes. On Saturday, negotiators from the European Parliament and the European Council, which represents the Member States, agreed on this. Climate goals This means that everyone within the European […]
December 16, 2022
Two family businesses from Limburg (Belgium) – Orbix in Genk and Betonagglomeraten Gubbels Masterbloc in Maasmechelen (both Limburg) – have launched a world-first: they produce CO2 ‘absorbing’ construction blocks based on slag from the steel industry. The finished products are bricks in which cement has been replaced by CO2 as a binding agent. The bricks […]
December 15, 2022
The Agency for Roads and Traffic (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV) has launched several studies to analyze how traffic at the main junctions in Mechelen North and South on the E19 highway can be improved. A study team is considering reorganizing the successive entrances and exits. To this end, they would like to build parallel […]
December 15, 2022
The Federal Government and energy provider Elia have signed an agreement relating to the financial support offered up as part of the Recovery & Resilience Facility (RRF). The fund was established by the European Commission during the corona pandemic to support future-oriented investments being undertaken by Member States. The signing of the protocol, which governs […]
December 14, 2022
The EU members and the European Parliament have agreed on introducing a CO2 tax for non-European companies. The new climate measure applies to the aluminum, steel, and fertilizer sectors and the hydrogen industry. The so-called Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) makes companies outside the EU pay for their CO2 emissions, just as European companies already […]
December 14, 2022
A recent Green Impact study, ordered by Mobility Minister George Gilkinet (Ecolo), confirms the potential of recycling and reusing batteries. The study results were presented on Tuesday at Umicore’s site in Hoboken (Antwerp). Batteries contain rare materials like lithium, nickel, and black lead, so they are a source of valuable resources. Besides, only a few […]
December 13, 2022
The European Commission will allocate more than 150 million euros for two Belgian projects intended to capture CO2 in the ports of Antwerp and Ghent. That is what the companies involved in the project communicated on Monday in a common press release. Antwerp@C Export Hub is a joint project of Air Liquide, BASF, Borealis, ExxonMobil, […]
December 12, 2022
The impact of batteries on the environment and communities is set to significantly improve under a new law agreed by EU lawmakers on Friday. The European Union will impose battery producers tougher environmental standards. Batteries should become more environmentally friendly, easier to replace, and recyclable. The new law will apply to all types of batteries […]
December 09, 2022
Delhaize has ambitious plans: next year, the supermarket chain is to install 1 800 public fast-charging stations up to 150 kW for electric vehicles on the parking grounds of its stores. By providing such a large number of charging points – the largest in the retail sector – and making them accessible to everyone 24/7, […]
December 09, 2022
The registrations of new motorbikes and second-hand ones scored surprisingly well in November. Last month, 1 093 new motorbikes were registered, an increase of 25,3% compared to last year. However, not enough for a positive annual figure. Speed pedelecs, on the other hand, continue to peak. The annual total over the first eleven months is […]
December 08, 2022
The Flemish Minister for Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), is planning to distribute 10 000 additional saliva tests for police control. She wants to step up the fight against drug abuse in traffic. On the federal level, Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld) earlier announced to make 100 000 of such tests available – […]
December 08, 2022
The city of Antwerp welcomes two new hydrogen-powered municipal waste collection vehicles. A first for Flanders. The vehicles were introduced on Wednesday, December 7th, at the DATS 24 hydrogen filling station in Wilrijk (Antwerp, Belgium). Hydrogen-powered vehicles are very quiet and clean. They’re equipped with an electric motor and a fuel cell and only emit […]
December 08, 2022
Flanders’ proactive approach to tackling unsafe traffic situations appears to be successful, and the first results are visible. Flemish Minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) intends to use new technology to preventively improve traffic safety. Last year, Minister Peeters introduced the MIA approach, a new and inventive way to tackle unsafe traffic situations. MIA […]
December 07, 2022
Mercedes-Benz continues to realign its global production network toward electric vehicles. That is why the company and employee representatives have agreed on the significant expansion of the production capacities for electric drive units. According to the agreement, the previously planned capacities will be doubled. In the target scenario, one million electric drive units can be […]
December 06, 2022
For the first time since January, sales figures for the second-hand car market were positive in November, Traxio announced. Last month, 53 996 used cars were registered, 1,9% more than in 2021. Still, the second-hand market remains down -9,8%, with a cumulative loss of -64 261 vehicles compared to last year. Volkswagen is still the […]
December 06, 2022
The global energy crisis has triggered an unprecedented acceleration in installations of renewable power, reports the International Energy Agency (IEA). Energy security concerns caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have motivated countries to increasingly turn to renewables such as solar and wind to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. Prices of the latter have spiked […]
December 05, 2022
France will ban short-haul domestic flights in favor of the train. The country was given the green light by the European Commission to abolish flights between cities if the link by a train offers an alternative solution with trips of fewer than 2,5 hours. When the measure was first announced, it was contested by the […]
December 02, 2022
Next year, Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works (Open Vld) will invest 2,3 billion euros in 815 projects. In all those projects, three keywords are involved: bicycle, safety, and sustainability. The largest part of the budget is destined for the Agency for Roads and Traffic (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV) (€738 million) and the […]
December 01, 2022
The BMW Group has decided to share its technological expertise with the world. BMW opts for an open-access approach and hopes to start a dialogue with potential partners. The initiative shows an approach that has never been implemented in the automotive industry before. Global trend research allows the company to draw conclusions about future technological […]
November 30, 2022
Weather forecasters agree: we’re experiencing a ‘Dunkelflaute’. A period of cold and windless weather with a gray sky. As a result, solar panels and wind farms hardly produce any energy; consequently, in the last few days, energy prices have more than doubled. ‘Dunkelflaute’ (dark wind lull) events are characterized by a very dense cloud cover, […]
November 30, 2022
Applicants and young employees are still interested in a company car. That is what 68% of fleet and mobility managers confirmed in the new Company Car Report organized by Mobia, the mobility federation of Febiac, Traxio, and Renta. According to the questioned managers, 21% of youngsters have a neutral attitude toward the company car, and […]
November 29, 2022
Owners of an electric car who cannot install a charging point at home and don’t have one nearby can ask for a public charging station in the immediate surroundings of their home. Since September, citizens with an electric vehicle can file such a request via an e-counter. In the meantime, 437 citizens or companies applied. […]
November 28, 2022
In 2021, the quality of bikeways along the Flemish regional roads was better than in 2019. As a result, not only has the infrastructure improved, but the comfort for cyclists increased. That is the conclusion of the Agency for Roads and Traffic’s latest bicycle report. The ART (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV) publishes a similar […]
November 25, 2022
Truck transport is massively polluting, and the emissions from transporting retail goods spike 94% during Black Friday week. However, there is a ready-made solution in the form of zero-emission trucks, the European environmental lobbying group Transport and Environment (T&E) says. Black Friday is notorious for peak consumerism and waste. Trucking retail goods is a dirty […]
November 24, 2022
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its recent ‘Air Quality in Europe 2022’ assessment, and the conclusion is not really reassuring. Although Europe’s air quality keeps on improving, air pollution still remains the largest environmental health risk in Europe, causing chronic diseases and premature deaths. According to the EEA, at least 238 000 people […]
November 23, 2022
Despite the popularity of teleworking and the reduced number of cars on Flemish roads compared to pre-corona times, traffic congestion is worse than ever. That flared up the debate on the introduction of a kilometer tax for passenger cars and vans in the Flemish Parliament. October 2022 was the second worst month regarding traffic jams […]
November 22, 2022
On Monday, November 21st, Elia Group welcomed Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) and the Belgian Federal Minister of Energy, Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen) to visit the Baltic Eagle offshore transmission platform. The project is a joint responsibility of Spanish energy group Iberdrola and 50Hertz, German subsidiary of Belgian Elia. The offshore […]
November 21, 2022
Paris is considering banning its 15 000 free-floating shared electric scooters riding around in the French capital. Local authorities are concerned about public safety on the city’s sidewalks. Shared e-scooter providers Lime, Dott, and Tier, active in Paris’ city center, are promising a series of improvements, but whether their licenses will be renewed is a […]
November 18, 2022
Next year, the Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB will introduce a new ‘silent’ reporting system for train travelers who feel unsafe. According to research, the feeling of insecurity among train travelers continues to increase. The new system is simple and discrete: travelers can simply ask for help by sending a text message to the permanence center […]
November 18, 2022
The Flemish government plans a new bicycle highway along the Brussels beltway between Vilvoorde and Strombeek-Bever. The new bikeway will be five kilometers long and connect several bicycle highways (F28 and F23, along the channel in Vilvoorde). The project fits in a larger-scale initiative to implement a total of 115 km of new bikeways connecting […]
November 17, 2022
The Agoria Solar Team, the student team of the KU Leuven, has succeeded in covering the longest distance in 12 hours with the solar car they developed. In 12 hours, the BluePoint Atlas, as their newest solar car is called, covered 1 051 kilometers, breaking the previous record of the Dutch Solar Team from Delft […]
November 17, 2022
This year, the Inter City Express (ICE) high-speed train connection between Belgium and Germany will celebrate its 20th birthday. In 2022, it will also transport a record number of more than one million passengers. On December 15th, 2002, the first ICE train rode between Brussels and Frankfurt. The ICE network is exploited by the German […]
