Road maintenance shortfall in Belgium

A lack of sufficient road maintenance poses future problems for Belgium’s road network, according to the country’s planning office. Unless investment is made, the Belgium Planning Office (BPO) believes the nation’s road network will become overcrowded and dilapidated by 2020. BPO 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 BPO bel
November 28, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

A lack of sufficient road maintenance poses future problems for Belgium’s road network, according to the country’s planning office.

Unless investment is made, the Belgium Planning Office (BPO) believes the nation’s road network will become overcrowded and dilapidated by 2020. BPO 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 BPO believes that a journey that took one hour and 18 minutes 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 BPO 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

  • Increasing importance of alternate truck routes
    February 14, 2012
    The fabled Silk Route from China to Europe takes many forms, and is again becoming increasingly important as Patrick Smithreports The ancient Silk Road was never a single caravan route, but covered hundreds of kilometres in width extending in length for around 10,000km. This is the view of the European International Road Transport Union (IRU), and many other countries and organisations, who point out that it is a system of routes covering many countries via a series of branch roads that dates back some 2
    Read More
  • Skidmarks
    December 15, 2017
    Our Skidmarks page is highly rated by readers. Your input could help make this page even more entertaining. If you come across any amusing road-related stories or pictures email me at [email protected]
    Read More
  • Boost to infrastructure, autonomous cars in UK budget
    March 17, 2016
    The UK chancellor announced in his spring budget what he called the biggest investment, US$87.5 billion (£61 billion), in transport infrastructure in generations and is increasing capital investment in the transport network by 50 per cent over this Parliament compared to the last. The government plans to establish the UK as a global centre for excellence in connected and autonomous vehicles by establishing a US$24.1 million (£15 million) ‘connected corridor’ from London to Dover to enable vehicles to com
    Read More
  • Austria's new tunnel meets safety regulations
    July 13, 2012
    New safety regulations and high traffic volumes require new tunnel construction all across Europe. Mike Woof reports Anew highway tunnel now being built in Austria will boost traffic volumes and safety standards on a key European route. The existing Pfänder Tunnel lies close to Austria's borders with Germany and Switzerland and carries a heavy traffic volume, so a new parallel tunnel is under construction to help spread this load, increasing capacity as well as safety. Stringent tunnel safety standards have
    Read More

Highlighted Content