Study finds Brussels congestion will only get worse

Congestion in Brussels will get worse in the coming years, despite a range of measures to bring it under control, according to a new report commissioned by the regional body Brussels Mobility.

The study, by Stratec, said improvement to suburban rail services - the RER project - and even the introduction of road tolls would not be enough to bring traffic numbers down by enough.

The research is based on a forecast 10% population growth in the Brussels region and the nearby periphery by 2040 and an 8% increase in jobs and trade over the same period.

"These two elements will increase the overall travel demand and thus the number of cars on the ring, which is already saturated today," said Stratec managing director Louis Duvigneaud.

He said: "Studies have already made it clear that the two most effective means of influencing drivers' behaviour are through their wallet and by restricting access to the city.

"In recent years, by reducing the number of lanes of traffic and reserving space for buses, we have gone for the second option."

Improving public transport alone was not enough, the study found. "A new metro line is a good thing, but the metro alone will not solve the problem", Duvigneaud said.

According to his report, a 20% increase in public transport provision in Brussels would lead to a 4% drop in traffic. Making fares cheaper was also found to have little difference.

A road toll of €3 a day would cut car use by 6%, the study found. "In the business world, more and more people are in favour of this solution," Duvigneaud added. "But politicians are putting the brakes on it, for fear of displeasing the electorate. That's a short-term view and I hope that will change."