Traffic jams cost Belgium over €5 billion in 2023

Traffic jams cost the Belgian economy over €5 billion in 2023. That is an increase of 4 per cent compared to 2022, according to figures from the Belgian Mobility Dashboard.

Traffic jams damage the economy in various ways. They cause lost time, additional fuel consumption and additional emissions, all of which have a price.

The cost is so high because there have never been more traffic jams than in 2023, according to figures from the Flemish Traffic Centre. November traffic jams were particularly heavy, Peter Bruyninckx of the Traffic Centre stated on X. The months of March, April, May and July also broke traffic records last year.

October and November were the months with the highest costs, €552 million and €513 million respectively, while costs were lowest in summer. Passenger cars accounted for 42 per cent of costs, light and heavy trucks represented 23 and 35 per cent respectively.

The Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB) and sector federation Febiac calculate how much traffic jams cost the economy every month. The figures are published on the Belgian Mobility Dashboard (www.mobilitydashboard.be).

^{© BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR}