Brussels government kicks off campaign against single-person car use

The Brussels government today announced the launch of a campaign designed to raise awareness of ‘autosolism’ (i.e. single-person car use) as part of World Environment Day, which is taking place this year on 5 June. The campaign will consist of a mixture of posters, radio segments, and social media posts, as well as physical letters posted to Brussels residents and businesses, all of which are intended to encourage both public and private actors to fundamentally rethink their automobile usage.

Single-person car use is a major source of road congestion in Belgium’s capital. It detrimentally affects motorists as well as businesses, and it also significantly reduces the quality of life of Brussels residents.

The Brussels government has also partnered with BECI (the Brussels’ Chamber of Commerce) and the Brussels Economic and Social Committee to provide specific companies with ‘Mobility Passports’ for their employees. These passports will inform employees about alternatives to driving to and from work alone in their car. Moreover, it will provide workers with ‘discount codes’ (codes that will, e.g., reduce the cost of a public transport ticket) to encourage them to try out alternatives to driving home alone.