Report: Good Move plan in Brussels cuts public transport travel times by up to a quarter

It reduced car traffic through the city centre by redirecting it and by making more one-way streets

Last week, Brussels’ public transport company, the STIB, published a report on the city’s Good Move plan. The report states that trams and buses have been able to shave off from one to five minutes from their travel times thanks to the improved traffic plan. According to the city, a five-minute travel time reduction increased speed for passengers by around 25%.

The plan was originally introduced in August of 2022 and aimed to reorganize traffic going through the Belgian capital’s so-called ‘Pentagon’. The Pentagon is an area in the centre of the city and is a tourist and traffic crossroads.

However, Brussels Alderman for Mobility, Bart Dhondt, introduced the plan to direct traffic away from the city centre, increasing the area’s appeal for pedestrians and cyclists at the cost of personal transportation.

Data reported by public transport

According to an official statement by the STIB, when the Good Move plan was introduced, public transport saw a lot of delay due to the initial traffic ‘chaos’. However, six months down the line, the situation has normalised and now certain lines see gains of up to five minutes during rush hour.

Brieuc de Meeûs, the CEO of STIB was quoted in a press statement, explaining that the change is due to drivers adapting their routes to the new system and a generally reduced demand for personal transport. Additionally, he pointed out that public transport may enjoy further gains in the future, as car traffic continues to adapt.

For example, tram lines 92 and 93 gained one minute during the morning rush hour and two minutes during the evening rush hour. Six bus lines (46,89,29,63,65 and 66) gain up to five minutes during evening rush hour depending on the line. For some lines, this represented a 25% drop in the total travel time, which is a massive gain for travellers.

According to research by the city from February, since the introduction of the plan, car traffic in the Pentagon has fallen by around 19%, while the number of cyclists has risen by 23% in the morning and 13% in the evening rush hour.