Use of Brussels car parks down by 30%, says Interparking

The lack of a coherent mobility policy in Brussels is causing potential shoppers to go to other cities, according to Roland Cracco, the director of Interparking, which runs car parks in 70 cities across the country. Occupancy rates in Brussels have decreased between 30% and 40% over the last two years, he said, while numbers increased in other cities, including Aalst, Antwerp and Ghent.

“Various factors play a part,” Cracco told Bruzz. “First, the pedestrianisation of parts of Brussels. Then, obviously, the terrorist attacks not only in Brussels but also in Paris, followed by the lock-down. And thirdly, you have the closure of some important tunnels.”

The switch by motorists from Brussels to other towns is a sign, according to the UCM union, that consumers are adapting their shopping behaviour. For Interparking, though, the movement is not temporary. The situation in Paris, he said, was restored to normal much faster.

“That the reduction in Brussels isn’t changing is the result of the lack of a mobility policy,” Cracco said. “Policymakers need to be less ideological and more practical about mobility. Never mind the slogans; what’s needed is a concrete approach to tackling problems.”

Photo courtesy altiplan.eu