The Implementation of Kilometre Charging and a Vignette in Belgium
10.39
From 2011 to 2012
This project focuses on the introduction of a smart kilometre charge for trucks from 3.5 tonnes and an electronic road vignette for light vehicles, with foreign road users also contributing to the cost. TML focused on pricing and revenue analysis with traffic models, which forms the basis for the future introduction of the road pricing system in Belgium.
In the 2009 - 2014 coalition agreements of each of the three regions, the will for a global reform of the traffic tax system was established. A political agreement was concluded at the end of January 2011. The starting point of this agreement is to objectively charge mobility costs to citizens and companies. Foreign road users will from now on also have to pay.
This project aims to introduce:
The three regions have chosen not to launch a kilometre charge for passenger cars for the time being. However, the system being developed for trucks will be built in such a way that it is expandable to passenger cars at a later stage. The whole will be operationalised according to a DBFMO model (design, construction, financing, maintenance, and operation), for which a private partner will be responsible.
Transport & Mobility Leuven was a subcontractor of the Fairway consortium and was mainly concerned with pricing and revenue analysis using traffic models.
On 20 July 2012, the Preliminary Architecture was approved for the planned kilometre charge for trucks and road vignette for passenger cars. The document, prepared by the Fairway consortium, forms the basis on which Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels intend to introduce the road pricing system step by step over the next few years.
In Belgium, 4.7 billion truck kilometres are driven annually by Belgians and 3.5 billion by foreigners. Each truck will have an On-Board Unit (OBU), an electronic device that uses GPS technology and wireless networks to continuously record where the truck is and how many kilometres it is travelling. This data is automatically transmitted to a back office, which calculates how much toll the truck has to pay.
The introduction of an electronic road vignette for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes is also planned. The main novelty is that for the first time, foreign cars will have to pay a vignette to drive on Belgian roads. Every year, an estimated 6.5 million foreign passenger cars drive through our country. That is a very high number when you know that there are some 5.8 million passenger cars registered in our country.
In the 2009 - 2014 coalition agreements of each of the three regions, the will for a global reform of the traffic tax system was established. A political agreement was concluded at the end of January 2011. The starting point of this agreement is to objectively charge mobility costs to citizens and companies. Foreign road users will from now on also have to pay.
This project aims to introduce:
- A smart kilometre charge for trucks from 3.5 tonnes.
A charge will have to be paid depending on the distance travelled, place, time, and environmental characteristics of the vehicle. The system will use GNSS technology.
- An electronic road vignette for light vehicles.
Light vehicles (such as cars and vans) will be subject to a time-based user charge.
The three regions have chosen not to launch a kilometre charge for passenger cars for the time being. However, the system being developed for trucks will be built in such a way that it is expandable to passenger cars at a later stage. The whole will be operationalised according to a DBFMO model (design, construction, financing, maintenance, and operation), for which a private partner will be responsible.
Transport & Mobility Leuven was a subcontractor of the Fairway consortium and was mainly concerned with pricing and revenue analysis using traffic models.
On 20 July 2012, the Preliminary Architecture was approved for the planned kilometre charge for trucks and road vignette for passenger cars. The document, prepared by the Fairway consortium, forms the basis on which Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels intend to introduce the road pricing system step by step over the next few years.
In Belgium, 4.7 billion truck kilometres are driven annually by Belgians and 3.5 billion by foreigners. Each truck will have an On-Board Unit (OBU), an electronic device that uses GPS technology and wireless networks to continuously record where the truck is and how many kilometres it is travelling. This data is automatically transmitted to a back office, which calculates how much toll the truck has to pay.
The introduction of an electronic road vignette for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes is also planned. The main novelty is that for the first time, foreign cars will have to pay a vignette to drive on Belgian roads. Every year, an estimated 6.5 million foreign passenger cars drive through our country. That is a very high number when you know that there are some 5.8 million passenger cars registered in our country.
