“Too many people still use their car for short distances”

Nick Michell spoke with Pascal Smet, Minister of Mobility and Public Works for the Government of Brussels-Capital Region, about the city’s progress in persuading its citizens to move away from their private cars

What are the main obstacles preventing Brussels from getting more citizens out of their private cars and onto public transport?

Only 50 percent of Brussels citizens own a car, which is a good basis to start from. The main reason for congestion is the daily commute in and out of the city. 350,000 commuters enter and leave the city every day, half of which do so individually by car. This is largely due to a federal scheme that subsidises company cars and fuel cards, and the ...