Smarter on the way with mobility management

In Flanders, commuting to work or school accounts for only a quarter of all passenger kilometres travelled, yet it causes enormous peak loads during rush hours. To reduce congestion and improve accessibility,  we must embrace sustainable alternatives and smart mobility management. Our mobility experts Veerle Duportail and Tijs Veyt share their knowledge on the subject.

From car king to bike king

Despite the rise of electric bikes and mobility budgets, the car remains king when it comes to commuting. With cafeteria plans, the company car remains the most popular choice, and the number of registered lease cars has reached a record high. Teleworking could offer a solution to peak-hour congestion. However, although 38% of employees report working from home regularly, we are witnessing the emergence of the “dido economy” (the TuTh economy): a phenomenon where employees tend to go into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This leads to unprecedented peak loads on roads, parking facilities, and public transport.

There is great potential for cycling, however, as a quarter of employees live less than five kilometres from work and more than half within a ten-kilometre radius. 2024 nevertheless became a record year for traffic congestion.

Are multimodal workplaces the solution?

There is a shift underway from traditional industrial estates on the urban periphery towards workplaces located within urban areas and accessible via multimodal transport. This encourages smarter mobility behaviour but also creates new traffic bottlenecks, particularly around cities and regional economic hubs. Moreover, permit procedures often encounter problems related to mobility impact, air quality, and noise pollution. Expanding road infrastructure is also unsustainable. Flanders must therefore seek sustainable and systematic mobility solutions to manage peak loads efficiently.

At Sweco, we believe that smart alignment of demand and supply can create space for mobility. By deploying innovative solutions and technologies, we can develop a more efficient mobility system that takes into account the needs of all stakeholders.

Veerle Duportail, mobility manager

Success factors and bottlenecks

From study to practical implementation – Numerous mobility studies already exist at regional, urban, and industrial estate levels, for instance on cycling infrastructure and public transport. The problem, therefore, lies not in a lack of knowledge but in implementation. Resources and responsibilities are fragmented, and crucial questions around management are insufficiently addressed. Building a good cycle path on an industrial estate is one thing, but who ensures it remains free of snow and ice?

Companies as driving forces – Companies themselves can do much to change mobility behaviour. However, not every company has the resources or long-term certainty to sustain such measures, even though continuity is fundamental for lasting change.

Employers are willing – In the battle for talent, forward-thinking mobility can be a key asset for employers to enhance their company’s attractiveness. But a catalyst is needed to sustain initiatives. Mobility policy can only work with sufficient critical mass. Without that group dynamic, initiatives come to a standstill and the bigger picture is left behind, even if the individual will is present.

The missing link in mobility policy

Companies can be engines of mobility change but often lack the overview and clout to achieve structural progress. Collaboration at the industrial estate level is therefore necessary, but difficult to sustain in practice. Although individual initiatives may achieve temporary success, they often fade due to a lack of shared, coordinated strategy.

Without a shared approach, mobility change at industrial estates remains stuck in good intentions and temporary successes.

Tijs Veyt, senior expert mobility

The belief in voluntary cooperation often clashes with the stubborn reality of free-riding behaviour. Some companies benefit from collective mobility solutions without investing in them themselves. With systems such as shared cars or collective transport, sufficient participation is important, because without critical mass, it simply does not work. Moreover, many companies think predominantly in short-term horizons: anything that doesn’t yield quick returns rarely gets prioritised. As a result, precisely those initiatives with the greatest impact remain stuck in the planning phase.

Meanwhile, different actors – from local authorities to road and site managers – operate with divergent objectives, resources, and priorities. And who makes the final decision when interests clash, for example between logistics development and cycling accessibility? Without an independent conductor who cuts through knots, coordinates interests, and enforces collaboration, we will not make progress. As long as no one truly takes the lead, good plans remain stuck around meeting tables, and mobility management doesn’t advance beyond isolated initiatives.

The importance of a neutral conductor

What’s missing is a neutral conductor – a person or authority that not only sets a clear course but also monitors implementation, aligns interests, and continues steering towards results. This role could be filled by a mobility coordinator at the industrial estate level, a public actor, or a specialised organisation acting as an independent hub. Crucially, this catalyst must have sufficient mandate, resources, and perseverance to turn mobility projects from vision into reality. Only when one party connects all stakeholders and directs them purposefully does mobility management become a true lever for a more efficient, sustainable system that alleviates peak moments and makes mobility more manageable.

The role of a neutral conductor is vital for effective mobility management. Such a person, equipped with sufficient mandate and resources, can translate mobility projects from vision into execution.

Tijs Veyt, senior expert mobility

Eiland Zwijnaarde

At the Eiland Zwijnaarde industrial estate, a pilot project is underway in which our mobility manager, working at the industrial estate level together with all relevant stakeholders, develops a strategy offering efficient, sustainable, and integrated mobility solutions. The goal is to roll out sustainable, integrated solutions that make Eiland Zwijnaarde a pioneering project in future-oriented mobility management. Veerle Duportail:

Eiland Zwijnaarde is growing rapidly, but it is reaching the limits of its accessibility by car. That is precisely why we are committed to smart mobility that can guarantee accessibility. A challenging assignment, with the ambition of embedding mobility measures within a Mobility Service Company.

Smart mobility is key

To improve accessibility in Flanders and reduce traffic congestion, we must embrace sustainable alternatives and smart mobility management strategies. At Sweco, we are committed to developing innovative solutions that contribute to a more efficient and sustainable mobility system. By promoting cycling mobility, optimising public transport, investing in technology, and placing sustainability at the core, we can create a future in which mobility runs smoothly and efficiently for everyone.

Source: Based on an article from Ruimte no. 65 (May 2025), published by the Vlaamse Vereniging voor Ruimte en Planning.