In the context of the new Walloon budget announced yesterday, there are two measures relating to road transport: the basic rate of the kilometer charge will be increased by half a cent per kilometer and certain investment support measures will be abolished.
The rate increase is considered ‘moderate’ by the Walloon government: the basic rate will increase from 0.13 to 0.135 euros per kilometer on January 1, 2026. The government estimates that this measure will generate 20 million euros in additional revenue… all of which will go to the coffers of Sofico, the body that manages the transport network in Wallonia. Transport & Logistics Belgium regrets this increase, but also acknowledges that much worse scenarios were possible. The other measure announced yesterday concerns the end of support for energy-saving investments.
In the current tense budgetary context, the Walloon government has of course not announced any purchase incentives for electric trucks. The interview we had a month ago with Minister of Mobility François Desquesnes left no hope in this regard. However, TLB regrets this and notes that this lack of government support significantly slows down the efforts of transport companies to modernize and green their fleet.
TLB also emphasizes that the new income from the kilometer charge should be spent on equipping Walloon parking lots with proper sanitary facilities for drivers and on accelerating the implementation of road works.
