The EIFEL Project established by VUB Mobilise in 2021 played a supporting role in enabling Belgian post operator, bpost, to achieve zero-emissions mail and parcel deliveries across Brussels earlier this year.
VUB Mobilise point out that there are numerous environmental, societal and economic benefits following the shift to electric cargo bikes and vans for urban freight.
The network of collection points was expanded, helping to reduce overall vehicle-kilometers. Moreover, a concerted effort to transfer delivery activities from electric vans to bike trailers has cut road accident impacts by 17%, and overall traffic congestion has been reduced, saving an estimated 566 hours per year.
VUB Mobilise researchers Koen Mommens and Joséphine Mariquivoi contributed to the outcomes of the EIFEL Project. Their work assessed the impacts of the transition, and engaged with postal staff to capture their views, helping to prevent any resistance and adverse effects during the implementation stage.
VUB Mobilise also examined consumer responses from 19 municipalities, identifying five distinct demographic groups and developing insights for targeted communication, policy design and future research into sustainable urban logistics.
The national post operator of Belgium has extended its 100% emission-free mail and parcel deliveries to the entire Brussels Region. While the city of Brussels has been served entirely by electric vans and bicycles since 2022, the remaining municipalities in the region have now been added to Bpost’s sustainable delivery operations.
“Brussels is the first European capital where a parcel company delivers completely emission-free, this is an important step towards achieving emission-free operations throughout Belgium by approximately 2030” said Nicolas Baise, COO of bpost Belgium.
Eco-friendly delivery vehicles are increasingly visible across Belgium, with Mechelen being the first Belgian city to achieve 100% emission-free parcel deliveries, and cities such as Bruges, Namur, Leuven, and Brussels following shortly thereafter.
Bpost plans to deploy approximately 500 electric vans throughout Brussels, complimented by electric bicycles on 60 delivery routes, primarily in the city center, according to Baise.
The company aims to expand emission-free coverage to a third of Belgian households by next year, up from the current one-quarter, with the goal of nationwide emission-free deliveries by approximately 2030.
Green transport powered by green energy
Implementing the emission-free initiative requires significant infrastructure additions. Bpost is establishing sufficient charging stations for its fleet of electric vehicles and bicycles, all powered by green energy. The company is also generating part of its own electricity through solar panels, installed across roughly 50,000 square meters of its buildings nationwide.
In addition, the company is investing in parcel lockers. “This also allows us to reduce the number of kilometers and therefore greenhouse gases. All these investments address the needs of our customers, both at home and online stores. Businesses are working on their green credentials, and a key part of that is transport to the customer.” adds Baise.
The LEVA EU member has announced an extension of its greening mobility efforts in the Belgian capital.
The micromobility provider deployed eight of its electric Stuyf Pickups to Brussels’ Cleaning Department and Green Service, helping it to reduce its carbon footprint and allowing its service workers to carry out essential work efficiently.
The city’s collaboration with EVpro is the latest in a whole host of sustainability plans that are being implemented in this region. In 2022, it published its sustainable mobility summary for the region with the STIB-MIVB, the Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company, intending to reduce its carbon emissions by 39% in 2030 compared to 2010.
It aims to do this by improving its public transport with the installation of 94 electric buses, 90 trams, 43 metro trains, and renewing 63 kilometres of track on existing tram and metro networks. More recently, in 2024, Brussels airport launched Belgium’s first autonomous shuttle for a sustainable mobility pilot.
By integrating EVpro’s Stuyf Pickups into its urban services, Brussels reinforces its commitment to cleaner mobility as it actions its plans in reaching its sustainable mobility targets.
The growing prevalence of larger and heavier cars in the Brussels-Capital Region conflicts with road safety and environmental objectives, as analysed by Brussels Mobility and Brussels Environment in their report, Larger and Heavier Cars. The report examines the causes of this trend and suggests measures to curb the rising weight of the vehicle fleet.
Brussels Mobility and Brussels Environment are public agencies responsible for mobility and environmental policies in the region. Drawing on a literature review, statistical analysis, and expert discussions, they studied the increasing presence of large, heavy cars in Brussels and across Belgium. Their findings cover the causes, impacts, and potential interventions to address this issue.
Rising Vehicle Mass
Between 2013 and 2023, the average mass of private vehicles registered in Brussels grew by 10%, while company cars saw a 17% increase. Additionally, company cars are approximately 250 kg heavier than newly registered private vehicles. Vehicles are also becoming wider; since 2018, newly registered cars average over 180cm in width.
Impacts on safety, space, and emissions
Heavier vehicles offer greater protection to their occupants, reducing their risk of serious injury or death in accidents. However, this comes at the expense of others, such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, or occupants of lighter vehicles, whose risk of harm increases significantly. In Brussels, this risk disparity is even more pronounced than in the rest of Belgium.
Larger vehicles also demand more space, often exceeding the dimensions of existing parking spots and impeding efforts to allocate public space for active transportation modes. Their bulk hinders urban greening initiatives, and their weight exacerbates wear-and-tear emissions from tires, brake pads, and road surfaces.
For petrol and diesel cars, the additional weight has offset reductions in CO₂ emissions. Meanwhile, heavier electric vehicles require larger batteries, increasing the demand for raw materials and emissions during manufacturing.
Causes of the trend
The growth in heavier vehicles is driven by several factors:
Industry marketing: Automakers prioritize heavier and larger vehicles due to higher profit margins, limiting the availability of lighter, more affordable options.
Tax policies: Belgian fiscal policies do not consider the weight of electric vehicles, unlike fuel-powered cars. Additionally, the fiscal regime for company cars encourages the selection of heavier, more luxurious models.
CO₂ standards: European CO₂ emission standards fail to incentivise a reduction in vehicle mass.
Proposed measures
To counter this trend, Brussels Mobility and Brussels Environment recommend several measures, including:
Implementing a weight-based kilometre charge to discourage heavier vehicles.
Tightening parking policies to limit the entry of heavy cars into the city.
Designating zones where heavy vehicles are prohibited.
Banning public advertising for large and heavy cars.
These proposals aim to address the safety and environmental challenges posed by the increasing share of larger, heavier vehicles in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Starting February 1st, 2024, Brussels is implementing significant changes to its e-scooter landscape. The city plans to reduce the available e-scooters from over 20,000 to just 8,000, exclusively operated by Bolt and Dott. Alongside this reduction, designated drop zones will become the sole spots to conclude a ride on these vehicles.
To accommodate this shift, Brussels Mobility will increase specially assigned parking spaces for shared mobility vehicles from 1,000 to 1,500 in the coming month. Leaving an e-scooter outside these allocated zones will be prohibited from then on.
This move aligns with a broader trend across European cities to address the unregulated spread of shared micromobility vehicles, which often encroach on pedestrian spaces in urban areas.
Brussels Mobility highlighted their commitment to providing the safest and most advanced vehicles to the city’s residents. The fleet, comprising e-scooters, bicycles, and mopeds, will boast 100% zero direct emissions. Moreover, special pricing schemes for various target audiences are in the works.
With licensed operators finalized, other entities now face the task of removing excess vehicles within a six-week grace period.
Furthermore, regional authorities have selected operators for shared bikes, mopeds, and cargo bikes, establishing quotas for each category in the city.
The new regulations take effect on February 1st, 2024, across 11 Brussels municipalities. In the remaining eight, operators will utilize GPS tracking systems to restrict parking to locations sanctioned by local authorities.
It is possible that the world’s first two-seater shared e-bike will arrive in Brussels early in 2024, following an announcement by French operator Pony that they are included as part of its proposals in response to a recent call for tenders by Brussels Mobility.
If the contract is awarded, the two-seater Double Pony models would be available outside of France for the first time. It can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h, and has a range of up to 100 km when fully charged. They have been designed to cover a distance of 20,000 km over their lifetimes and to withstand harsh weather. Additionally, parts can be interchanged and used to extend the lifespan of other Pony bikes.
Pony has already been operating in Brussels since 2021 with an offering of one-seater shared e-bikes.
Guillem Leroux, Pony’s spokesperson, spoke to The Brussels Times about the Double Pony: “This e-bike has been successful in France, where approximately 70% of our users have already experienced it as a passenger.”
Pony has also introduced an innovative scheme for the shared soft mobility sector, with its unique “Adopt a Pony” programme. This allows users to buy a bike from the company and then lease it to other users using the corporate platform, and share the profit made with the enterprise. Guillem Leroux explained that, through this scheme, the company aims to redistribute income back into communities.
The Brussels Capital Region has developed a policy to phase out fossil-fuel-based vehicles, with a gradual phase-out set to lead to a total ban by 2035. EU-funded project TANDEM aims to include a diverse group of citizens in the discussion around the ban to ensure that the transition to electric mobility is inclusive, equitable and just.
TANDEM seeks to develop recommendations to guide the transition away from fossil-fuelled vehicles, to ensure that the process is well-managed and just, from the perspective of a diverse group of Brussels Capital Region citizens, and will consider the needs of both current and future generations.
The citizen panel will be comprised of approximately 40 participants, randomly selected and with criteria applied to ensure the group’s diversity:
age and gender
language
education and income
mobility behaviour and needs (employment, family composition, general health)
the municipality of residence
nationality
The citizen panel will involve three one-day sessions across a year in which participants will discuss the ban of fossil-fuel vehicles in Brussels. Selected participants will be compensated with services/products or vouchers worth up to €60 for each session, plus meals and refreshments provided during each session.
TANDEM states that: “For this process to be successful, it is important that people with different perspectives answer the survey, so each response is important.”
Find more information about the citizens’ debate and the affiliated project on the TANDEM website, and view the English language survey here.
Comments Off on Freight Transport Bootcamp coming up in November 2023 at VUB Belgium
Interested industry professionals are called to participate in the Freight Transport Bootcamp scheduled for November 17, 2023, to be held at the U-Residence on the VUB Campus in Etterbeek.
The primary goal of this intensive bootcamp is to delve into the challenges and opportunities that urban freight transport presents. It seeks to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and intricacies surrounding this critical aspect of urban infrastructure. The event will feature interactive workshops, expert lectures, real-world case studies, and hands-on activities.
The bootcamp’s content spans a wide array of topics, including last-mile delivery, e-commerce, cargobikes, smart transportation systems, and policy interventions. The aim is to equip participants with practical insights to develop innovative and sustainable strategies capable of revolutionizing urban freight transport. These insights are founded on the “8 A’s” framework for creating a more sustainable transport system, which includes elements such as Awareness, Avoidance, Act and Shift, Anticipation of new technologies, Acceleration, Actor Involvement, Adapt behavior, and All in love.
Importantly, the bootcamp is tailored to cater to a diverse range of participants. Urban planners, transportation professionals, policymakers, logistics managers, environmental enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and individuals passionate about crafting sustainable and efficient urban freight systems are all encouraged to attend. It extends its arms to both industry professionals looking to enhance their knowledge and students eager to explore sustainable transportation solutions.
Attendees can expect to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and potential solutions in the realm of urban freight transport. The event offers a unique opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field, engage in collaborative discussions with peers from various backgrounds, and develop practical skills to address real-world problems.
By participating in this bootcamp, individuals have the chance to contribute to making cities more livable, reducing environmental impact, and shaping the future of urban logistics. It is a valuable opportunity for industry professionals seeking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving field and for students interested in sustainable urban development.
Please note that registration for the bootcamp is mandatory, with a registration fee of €250 for general participants and a reduced rate of €100 for students.
Brussels has introduced a single app that consolidates all local mobility services, making Floya a valuable tool for your next visit to the Belgian capital.
Floya, the latest mobile app from the city of Brussels, is designed to cater to the needs of both residents and tourists. Launched recently, this app seamlessly integrates Mobility as a Service (MaaS) by aggregating all public and private transportation options into one user-friendly platform – right on your smartphone.
This digital tool is a collaborative effort between STIB-MIVB, the local public transit operator, and Brussels Mobility. Together, they aim to enhance flexibility and responsiveness in addressing mobility requirements while encouraging users to shift away from personal vehicles in favor of the diverse range of transportation choices now accessible.
Gone are the days of cluttering your phone with numerous mobility apps. Floya empowers users to effortlessly plan, book, and pay for various transportation modes within Brussels. Currently, it encompasses the four primary public transportation modes (metro, trams, buses, and trains), as well as various shared scooter, bicycle, and car services. Additionally, it offers the capability to unlock shared mobility devices post-payment and provides real-time information about disruptions or alternate routes.
As a result, this new app represents an expansion and enhancement of the STIB-MIVB app, intelligently integrating options from the private sector. Its overarching objective is to present Brussels’ mobility services as a unified ecosystem, regardless of the economic interests of individual branches.
Brussels’ mobility landscape is continually evolving, and Floya is expected to evolve alongside it. A range of exciting new features is in the pipeline, promising users even more choices and convenience.
