Study to objectify mobility policy
20010
2020
This study analyses the congestion problem in Flanders and Brussels, including its causes, measurements, and economic costs, and offers a list of possible measures for improvement, such as intelligent road pricing and teleworking. TML assessed the impact of these measures and elaborated four policy areas for both government and employer initiatives.
Mobility of persons has important benefits for the inhabitants of Flanders and for the Flemish economy. People mobility helps Flanders' residents to realise income from work, personal fulfilment and relaxation, and a network of social contacts. However, mobility also leads to a series of persistent, interlinked problems: greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, reduced quality of life, noise pollution, congestion, traffic safety, use of space, etc. These problems are rooted in part in the way the current mobility system works.
In this study, we first gave a diagnosis of the congestion problem in Flanders and Brussels. In doing so, we looked at the causes of traffic jams, how traffic jams are measured, and what their extent and economic cost is.
We then drew up a long list of possible measures, considering a ranking by various stakeholders. We evaluated them qualitatively in terms of their impact on commuting by car during rush hour, on congestion, and on factors such as deadline and feasibility for implementation.
Finally, we worked out a final selection of four policy areas, looking in detail at the introduction of the following measures:
- An intelligent road charge.
- Teleworking.
- Smart and dynamic traffic management.
- Cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS).
These measures can be taken by both the government (at the various policy levels) and employers.
