Coût direct et géographie des ralentissements subis par les transports publics bruxellois

Dobruszkes, Frédéric; Fourneau, Yves · 2007 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.4000/brussels.413

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Summary

This study addresses the economic and spatial impact of road congestion on Brussels’ surface public transport network, specifically buses and tramways operated by the STIB. The authors identify a significant gap in existing literature: while congestion costs for private vehicles are well-documented, the direct financial burden imposed on public transport operators by reduced commercial speeds has rarely been quantified. The research aims to calculate the direct costs incurred by the operator and the Brussels-Capital Region due to these delays and to map their geographic distribution to identify priority areas for intervention. The methodology relies on highly disaggregated operational data from 1999, provided by the STIB. The authors analyzed travel times and commercial speeds for every segment between stops, categorized by time of day (morning peak, off-peak, evening peak, etc.). They established evening travel times as a baseline reference, assuming minimal interference from automobile traffic. By calculating the time lost during other periods—excluding time spent at stops to isolate road congestion effects—and multiplying these delays by service frequencies, they determined the total daily time loss. This time loss was then translated into the additional rolling stock required to maintain scheduled frequencies. The financial cost was estimated by accounting for the acquisition of these extra vehicles, driver salaries, energy consumption, and other operational expenses, while excluding indirect costs like land for depots or administrative overhead, resulting in a conservative minimum estimate. The findings reveal that road congestion forces the STIB to operate a fleet approximately 32% larger than necessary to meet demand. Specifically, the operator loses 703 hours of travel time per weekday, requiring an additional 54 tramways and 99 buses during peak hours, and 21 tramways and 33 buses during off-peak hours. In 1999, this inefficiency cost the STIB at least 17.34 million euros annually. Driver salaries accounted for 59% of this cost, followed by vehicle acquisitions at 24%. The authors conclude that at least 18% of the total production cost of the public transport offer is spent solely compensating for delays caused by automobile traffic. Geographically, the study highlights that protected sites are insufficient to mitigate these losses, as traffic management often prioritizes cars and protected sections are not always respected or well-designed. The authors argue that improving the efficiency of the surface network is crucial, as Brussels is politically and technically constrained from expanding its metro network significantly. Enhancing surface transport speed would optimize the use of the region’s limited budget, improve environmental outcomes by making public transport more attractive, and better serve the city’s second ring where car usage is high. The paper underscores that congestion imposes a real, direct financial cost on public authorities, distinct from the external costs typically associated with private vehicle emissions or time loss.

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• traffic density