Crumbling roads will boost Belgium’s congestion

A lack of sufficient road maintenance poses future problems for Belgium’s road network. Unless investment is made, the Belgian road network will become overcrowded and dilapidated by 2020. Belgium's Planning Office says that this could result in travel speeds falling 29% from 2008 to 2030 due to congestion and with a corresponding rise in journey times.
September 25, 2012 Read time: 1 min
A lack of sufficient road maintenance poses future problems for Belgium’s road network. Unless investment is made, the Belgian road network will become overcrowded and dilapidated by 2020. Belgium's Planning Office says that this could result in travel speeds falling 29% from 2008 to 2030 due to congestion and with a corresponding rise in journey times. Belgium's roads are amongst those with the heaviest traffic volumes in Europe. The Planning Office believes that a journey that took one hour and 18 minute journey in 2008 will take one hour and 51 minutes in 2030. Meanwhile, traffic at off-peak times could have speeds cut by 16%. The report produced by the Planning Office claims that cars will still be the most used form of transport in 2030, accounting for 80% of passenger km travelled. Goods transport by road will also increase, accounting for 71% of km-tonnes in 2030. But if transport policy remains unaltered then greenhouse gas emissions will increase by 12% between 2008 and 2030, despite energy efficiency improvements in vehicles.

Related Content

  • Growing US congestion problems will get worse according to study
    April 30, 2012
    The economic recession has only provided a temporary respite from the growing congestion problem, according to Texas Transportation Institute 2011 Urban Mobility Report.While traffic problems have stagnated in the US along with the economy, the annual study suggests that too little progress is being made toward ensuring that the nation's transportation system will be able to keep up with job growth when the economy does return.
    Read More
  • Western construction firms operating in developing nations face extra challenges
    January 9, 2024
    Contracting firms carrying out road construction works in developing nations can face extra challenges - Gordon Feller reports
    Read More
  • S&P Global Rating: credit stability for toll road operators
    August 14, 2017
    The outlook is generally stable for business conditions and credit quality for toll roads worldwide, according to the latest survey from ratings agency S&P Global.The exception is the US where the overall outlook is “positive”, noted the report S&P Global Ratings' 2017. The 21-page report considers broad economic and industry-specific trends. It looks at economic conditions, demographic trends and geopolitical risks that affect the movement of people and goods. “We expect stable or improving, but still frag
    Read More
  • Carbon emissions discussion
    March 22, 2012
    Smarter steps to reduce carbon emissions are being proposed by a new study from The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK (CILT). With transport accounting for nearly 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions, and at a time when governments are agreeing to move forward together on reducing emissions, CILT is calling for a balanced approach to carbon management and better assessment of the carbon impact in making transport investment choices.
    Read More

Highlighted Content