Why Walloons Still Choose Cars: Geography, Not Just Habit

Seven out of ten Walloons use the car as their primary means of transport. In Flanders, the figure is six out of ten. In Brussels, it drops to just 37%. These numbers, drawn from a recent Ethias survey, reveal a stark mobility divide within Belgium — one that Wallonia’s Minister of Mobility, François Desquesnes, argues is rooted in geography, not stubbornness.

“The reality of Walloon territory is not that of Flanders,” Desquesnes told RTBF’s Matin Première on June 3. “We have larger, more rural territories. And so, effectively, in these territories, the car is often the only efficient solution for daily travel.”

A Tale of Three Regions

Belgium’s three regions each tell a different mobility story. Flanders, with its dense urban network and flat terrain, has developed robust cycling infrastructure and well-connected cities like Antwerp, Ghent, and Leuven. Brussels, compact and densely populated, boasts the country’s most comprehensive public transport network — metro, tram, bus, and train — making car ownership optional for many.

Wallonia, by contrast, is defined by its sprawling former industrial basins, hilly Ardennes terrain, and widely dispersed population. The region inherited an extensive rail network from its industrial heyday, but many stations have been closed or are poorly served. Public transport coverage in rural areas remains sparse, and the “last mile” problem — getting from a train station to one’s final destination — is acute.

The data confirms the challenge. According to the SPW/Iweps Mobility Dashboard published in January 2025, 71.4% of all kilometers traveled in Wallonia in 2024 were by car, while only 9.2% were by train. The average car occupancy rate stands at just 1.33 people per vehicle — a phenomenon known locally as “autosolisme” (driving alone). Only one in ten Walloons primarily uses public transport, and a mere 3% cycle regularly.

The FAST 2030 Reality Check

In 2017, the Walloon government adopted Vision FAST 2030, an ambitious plan to transform mobility. The target: reduce the car’s modal share from 83% to 60% of kilometers traveled, increase train share to 15%, and cut transport emissions by over 34%.

Eight years on, progress has been made — the car share dropped to 71.4% — but the pace has slowed considerably. Desquesnes acknowledged that the plan is being updated. “This is a vision that was established about ten years ago,” he said. “We are updating it to have a vision for 2040 and 2050.”

The transport sector accounts for 22% of Wallonia’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with nearly 99% coming from road vehicles. Meeting the region’s climate targets will require far more than incremental change.

Why Price Isn’t the Problem

One of the more counterintuitive findings from Desquesnes’s interview concerns pricing. When asked about free public transport, he noted that previous fare reductions actually backfired. “We reduced fares in previous years, but unfortunately it didn’t increase bus ridership in Wallonia. Quite the opposite — it reduced the TEC’s means of action,” he explained, referring to the region’s public bus company.

This suggests that the primary barrier to public transport adoption in Wallonia is not cost but coverage, frequency, and reliability. As Desquesnes put it: “If you don’t have the conditions, it’s difficult to change mindsets.”

Tackling Urban Sprawl and “Autosolisme”

Desquesnes is focusing on a longer-term strategy: combating urban sprawl by concentrating development in urban and village centers — what he calls “centralities.” “Urban sprawl costs the community dearly, and in terms of mobility, it’s a horror,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the problem of “autosolisme” — single-occupancy car journeys — which he says “costs the community dearly, but also those who make this choice.” Carpooling initiatives are being encouraged, with dedicated parking zones already operating at the entrance to Brussels and near Arlon toward Luxembourg, with projects planned for Liège and Namur.

The Company Car Conundrum

Belgium’s deeply entrenched company car system (“voiture de société”) remains a significant obstacle. The system provides a powerful fiscal incentive for car ownership, making it harder to shift behavior. However, Desquesnes has ruled out removing existing company cars, calling it unfair to “change the rules of the game.”

Instead, he points to the growing popularity of the mobility budget — an alternative that allows workers to trade their company car for a package of transport options. “It’s starting to become part of the culture, especially among younger, more urban generations,” he noted.

Looking Ahead: Autonomous Vehicles and Beyond

Looking further ahead, Desquesnes is betting on technology. The TEC’s new public service contract includes plans for autonomous vehicle testing by 2028. “Autonomous cars and autonomous public transport — it’s in the new public service contract that I just had validated by the Walloon government,” he confirmed.

Whether autonomous vehicles will prove to be a genuine mobility solution or simply perpetuate car-centric patterns under a different guise remains an open question. What is clear is that Wallonia’s path to sustainable mobility will look fundamentally different from Flanders’ — and that any successful strategy must start by acknowledging the reality of the territory.

As the Ethias survey noted, despite budget pressure and the availability of alternatives, “the car remains difficult to replace for a large part of the Belgian population.” For Wallonia, changing that equation will require not just better infrastructure, but a fundamental rethinking of how the region is organized.