Online shopping causes an increase of vans in Brussels and extended travel times in the city
The share of commercial vehicles continues to grow in the streets of Brussels, according to the latest Brussels-Mobility figures that measured travel times in the capital. The trend towards “truckering” continues, in particular following the rise of online commerce.
The numbers show an increase in commercial vehicles of 10 to 15% in five years. The vans constituted 6% of the vehicles in 2012, they are now between 9 and 10%.
The significant increase in e-commerce and home deliveries is contributing to this trend, as well as the desire of some carriers to avoid the kilometer tax on heavy goods vehicles.
From 2014 to 2017, the number of registrations of new commercial vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes increased by 43% in Belgium, according to official data. In Brussels, “goods traffic accounts for around 8% of local traffic, the vast majority of which is provided by vans whose environmental and mobility impact is worrying,” reports the draft on regional mobility plan called Good Move.
In addition, the figures show an increase in travel times of around 8% during the week, excluding the effect of the main construction sites in the Stéphanie and Montgomery tunnels.
