According to a study published by the environmental protection organization Greenpeace, only three European countries spent more on rail than on road, among them Belgium. Along with Austria and the United Kingdom, our country is still an exception in Europe, where road transport receives on average 66% more investment than rail. In total, from 1995 to 2018, 1.500 billion euros were allocated to the road.
Belgium spent 23.26 billion euros on its rail network, compared to 7.49 billion on its road network. However this “good performance” should be put into perspective: if we take into account expenditure in relation to population, Belgium ranks eighth in Europe. Greenpeace adds that in 1995, our country already had one of the most developed roads in the world, so significant investments were not required after that.
For Karine Thibat, the spokeswoman for the company’s Belgian branch, more efforts need to be made: “We can do better. In Belgium, transport represents 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. It is as reliable and quality as in exemplary countries like Switzerland or Austria. It is accessible and affordable to people. It is necessary to provide an alternative to the private car.”
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