Economic effects 80 km/h
05.33
2006
TML carried out an economic analysis on the effects of lowering the speed limit for trucks on motorways to 80 km/h, focusing on the costs for hauliers, government, and society.
Transport & Mobility Leuven conducted an economic analysis around lowering the speed limit for trucks on motorways to 80 km/h. Special attention was paid in this study to the nature and scale of the costs for the different stakeholders (the truck sector, the government …).
The study shows that lowering the speed limit will increase the costs of the Belgian trucking industry by 1.46%. In absolute figures, this amounts to 104.1 million euros. The costs for the foreign trucking sector increase by the same amount.
The cost calculation considered costs for vehicle purchase, maintenance, fuel costs, insurance costs, various taxes and duties, labour costs, and time costs. The 5,339 million truck kilometres still driven on motorways have an overall increase in costs of 203.9 million euros in 2010, of which 104.9 for Belgian trucks.
These 104.9 million euros are the additional costs of Belgian hauliers on motorways. They represent 2,294 million truck kilometres of the 5,339 million driven on our motorways in 2010, or just under half.
In addition, the measure on motorways has other effects that affect the trucking sector as a whole. These include a shift to other roads and other modes of transport (rail and inland waterway), logistics processes, choice of other truck sizes and load factors ...
These effects make the cost increase for Belgian trucks on all roads slightly smaller, specifically 104.1 million euros or 1.46%. This figure best reflects what the measure will cost the truck sector.
The increase in costs for Belgian freight transport as a whole, with inland waterways and rail included, obviously increases slightly less, given that some road transport costs are revenues for the other modes. The increase in costs for the sector amounts to 101.9 million euros or 1.06%.
In summary, the increase in costs on Belgian freight transport can be framed as follows:
In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which amounts to €283,470 million, freight transport has a share of 3.4%. The increase in costs of €101.9 million is therefore 0.04% of GDP.
The study is based on the latest available figures and test results. Sound assumptions were made where necessary. The increase in costs will not be the same for every transport company. For example, some companies already set their speed limiter lower than 90 km/h for fuel efficiency reasons. Higher or lower fuel consumption is a parameter that can affect the cost increase by about 10%.
Transport & Mobility Leuven conducted an economic analysis around lowering the speed limit for trucks on motorways to 80 km/h. Special attention was paid in this study to the nature and scale of the costs for the different stakeholders (the truck sector, the government …).
The study shows that lowering the speed limit will increase the costs of the Belgian trucking industry by 1.46%. In absolute figures, this amounts to 104.1 million euros. The costs for the foreign trucking sector increase by the same amount.
The cost calculation considered costs for vehicle purchase, maintenance, fuel costs, insurance costs, various taxes and duties, labour costs, and time costs. The 5,339 million truck kilometres still driven on motorways have an overall increase in costs of 203.9 million euros in 2010, of which 104.9 for Belgian trucks.
These 104.9 million euros are the additional costs of Belgian hauliers on motorways. They represent 2,294 million truck kilometres of the 5,339 million driven on our motorways in 2010, or just under half.
In addition, the measure on motorways has other effects that affect the trucking sector as a whole. These include a shift to other roads and other modes of transport (rail and inland waterway), logistics processes, choice of other truck sizes and load factors ...
These effects make the cost increase for Belgian trucks on all roads slightly smaller, specifically 104.1 million euros or 1.46%. This figure best reflects what the measure will cost the truck sector.
The increase in costs for Belgian freight transport as a whole, with inland waterways and rail included, obviously increases slightly less, given that some road transport costs are revenues for the other modes. The increase in costs for the sector amounts to 101.9 million euros or 1.06%.
In summary, the increase in costs on Belgian freight transport can be framed as follows:
| million truck-km |
million ton-km |
total cost (million euro) |
increase of cost (million euro) |
% | |
| Belgian trucks on motorways | 2.627 | 19.749 | 2.621 | 104,9 | 3,71% |
| Belgian trucks on all roads | 5.947 | 38.506 | 7.156 | 104,1 | 1,46% |
| All Belgian freight transport (excl. maritime transport and navigation) |
55.077 | 9.640 | 101,9 | 1,06% | |
In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which amounts to €283,470 million, freight transport has a share of 3.4%. The increase in costs of €101.9 million is therefore 0.04% of GDP.
The study is based on the latest available figures and test results. Sound assumptions were made where necessary. The increase in costs will not be the same for every transport company. For example, some companies already set their speed limiter lower than 90 km/h for fuel efficiency reasons. Higher or lower fuel consumption is a parameter that can affect the cost increase by about 10%.
