Let’s take a spin through Brussels, the city that loves to pat itself on the back as some sort of mobility messiah. According to the Urban Mobility Readiness Index, a posh report from the University of California and the Oliver Wyman Forum, our capital scores an impressive 59% on urban mobility and public transport. That’s enough to land it in the global top 20, with an 11th place in Europe. Not bad for a city where you’re sometimes faster lacing up your shoes and walking. But what makes Brussels such a mobility marvel? And is it all really as rosy as they’d have us believe?
Let’s start with public transport, because that’s where Brussels racks up points. The STIB – that’s the Brussels version of buses, trams, and metros – does a decent job. With a 19th place worldwide for public transport, it’s clear you don’t have to wait long for a bus to get you to your destination, or at least somewhere close. They’ve even got big plans: by 2024, a metro line will reach Neder-Over-Heembeek and Tour & Taxis, and by 2030, tram line 3 should be complete. Free transport for under-25s and over-65s? That’s a plan even your gran would cheer for. Then there’s the Good Move plan, a kind of blueprint to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and trams over cars. Sounds lovely, but if you’ve ever been stuck in a Brussels traffic jam, you know reality is a bit less Instagram-worthy.
Let’s be honest: Brussels and cars are like a marriage on the brink of collapse. The city does everything it can to make life miserable for your four-wheeler. Zone 30 is everywhere except the main boulevards, and if you drive a diesel, you’d better mark your calendar, because from 2030, you’ll be persona non grata in the Low Emission Zone. Then there’s the smart kilometer tax, a scheme to charge you based on how much you drive through the city and how polluting your car is. And parking? Forget it. Minister Elke Van den Brandt wants street parking so expensive you’d rather display your car in a museum than park it on a Brussels pavement. The idea is to get you on a bike, a shared car, or – heaven forbid – your own two feet. But if you’ve ever tried cycling over Brussels’ cobblestones with a heavy shopping bag, you know it’s not always a picnic.
Still, Brussels has its strengths. The city snags a 10th place worldwide for sustainable mobility, and that’s no small feat. Think bike lanes popping up like mushrooms and shared cars on every corner. That said, according to a Fluctuo study, shared mobility remains a bit niche. Just 280,000 shared vehicles across 16 European cities, with Brussels somewhere in the middle of the pack. It’s a start, but hardly a revolution. Then there’s technological innovation, or rather, the lack of it. Brussels lags at 29th place for digital mobility solutions like autonomous vehicles or smart apps. Apparently, the city’s better at laying tram tracks than embracing the future.
But let’s not be too harsh. Brussels has it tough. With nearly 200,000 commuters pouring into the city daily, it’s a miracle traffic isn’t permanently gridlocked. The Good Move plan has already eased congestion – in 2022, Brussels dropped from 3rd to 17th in Inrix’s traffic jam rankings. And with projects like turning the E40 into an urban boulevard and adding P+R parking at the city’s edges, Brussels isn’t trying to ban cars outright, just tame them a bit. It’s a delicate dance between the needs of commuters, the dreams of cyclists, and the reality of a city that sometimes feels like it’s bursting at the seams.
So, is Brussels really a mobility champion? Let’s say it’s a city with grand plans and some impressive strengths, but also a long road ahead. Public transport is a strong suit, sustainability deserves a pat on the back, but if you’re trying to navigate the city center by car, you’ll sometimes feel more like a contestant in a sadistic rally than a citizen in a modern metropolis. Still, there’s hope. If Brussels delivers on its promises, it could become a city where you happily leave your car behind – or at least don’t curse behind the wheel.
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