Soon traffic jams will be longer than they were before corona despite people working more from home
The Traffic Centre’s figuures are based on a calculation of the total length of jams in kilometres multiplied by how much time motorists lose due to the jams. The results is given in “kilometre.hour”.
On an average weekday in October 2022 there was a total 1,034 kilometre.hour of jams on main roads and motorways in Flanders. October 2021 was worse with 1,078 kilometre.hour. The third worst October was October 2019 with 978 kilometre.hour.
The worst month for jams since records began was July 2019 with 1,108 kilometre, hour of jams. To put this into perspective in October 2011 there was an average of 655 kilometre.hour of jams on Flemish motorways and main roads on weekdays.
Still motoring despite the energy crisis
Despite the energy crisis and more people working at least some of the time from home, there are more traffic jams. But how can this be? Research has shown that 57% of Belgian civil servants and white-collar staff work at least occasionally from home. Half of these work from home between two and three days a week. However, commuter traffic accounts for only one third of the total amount of traffic on our roads. The rest is related to services and freetime travel. This can range from a drive to the hospital for an appointment to taking the kids to a theme park or going to the supermarket to do your weekly shopping.
The number of kilometres the average Belgian travels each months using motor vehicles is almost back at the level it was in October 2019. Then the average was 67km, last month it was 65km. During the first full month of the first corona lockdown in April 2020 we travelled an average of just 32km on main roads and motorways in our region.
Lorries clogging up the roads
An increase in the number of lorries on our roads has served to increase congestion. A truck takes up 2.5 times more space than a car. The increase in online purchases has served to increase the number of trucks.
On an average weekday in October 2022 lorries travelled an average of 12.3 million km on Flemish motorways and highways.
Increase set to continue
According to forecasts by the Federal Planning Bureau, goods traffic will increase by a further 20% between now and 2040. If we don’t take measures to divert more freight onto the railways and inland waterways this will result in average speeds on Flemish trunk roads and motorways falling by between 10% and 15%.