Exploring opportunities of Transit-Oriented Development on Brussels’ suburban train network. A case-study based approach.
David Schwengler
Supervisor: Kobe Boussauw Advisor: Nadia Casabella
Master thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Urban Studies (VUB) and Master of Science in Geography, general orientation, track ‘Urban Studies’ (ULB)
Date of submission: 3 June 2019
Master in Urban Studies – Academic year 2018-2019
Acknowledgements
I am extremely grateful to my supervisor, Kobe Boussauw, for his advice, help and for his availability at every moment. I want to thank the advisor, for her advice and reading my thesis. I also want to thank all the interviewees, who generously accepted to share with me many information and granted me some of their times. Without their contributions, this work would have not been possible. I also want to kindly thank Freke Caset for her help. Finally, I want to thanks my siblings, my girlfriend and friends for their strong support.
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Abstract
The present research object is the impact of the Brussels suburban train (RER project) on urban development in Brussels-Capital region and Walloon Brabant. The main goal is to seize the current state of this long-standing project and to identify the main dynamics in term of land-use and transit-integration around it. The analysis relies on interviews from several stakeholders of the project and local actors. The analysis follows the scope of the Node-Place model criteria and Transit-Oriented Development. First of all, the main opportunities and limits of the project are identified. Second of all, an analysis of the specific situation of 29 stations explored the impact of the project on the local urban environment. In the context of the Belgian institutional fragmentation, many different actors shape the redevelopment of a station and its vicinity. This study allows us to know more precisely what are their roles and positions, from the Belgian federal State to the local decision-making level. Besides, a precise analysis of the measures implemented or envisioned for each station in term of accessibility and urban developments is elaborated. This method enabled the identification of the potential and the limits for a stronger land-use and transit-integration for each station. This led us to very different and varied cases. The large selection of studied stations permitted the comparison between the two regions and between three railway corridors.
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List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
BCR – Brussels-Capital Region CA – Catchment area CEMM – “Comité Exécutif des Ministres de la Mobilité” (The Executive Committee of Ministers of Mobility) CQD – Contrat de Quartier Durable (a local urban renovation plan) HSR – High-speed rail K&R – Kiss & Ride LUTI – Land use and transport integration MaaS – “Mobility as a Service” OLLN – Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve PAD – “Plans d’aménagements directeurs” PPAS – “Plan particulier d’affectation du sol” (special local plan allowing land-use modifications for specific land redevelopments) PRDD – Plan Régional de développement durable PRM – Persons with reduced mobility P+R – “Park & Ride” RER – Réseau express regional SAU – Société d’aménagement urbain SD – Schéma de développement (local master plan) SDT – “Schéma de Développement Territorial” (Spatial Development Plan) SNCB / NMBS – Société nationale des chemins de fer belges / Nationale maatschappij der belgische spoorwegen SPF / FOD – Service public Fédéral / Federale Overheidsdienst. When not specified: SPF Mobilité & Transports (French)/Mobiliteit en Vervoer (Dutch)/Mobility & Transports STIB / MIVB – Société des transports intercommunaux de Bruxelles / Maatschapij voor het intercommunaal vervoer te Brussel TAD – Transit-Adjacent Developments (“Balanced Transit-Adjacent Developments (TAD)”) TEC – Transports en commun (Wallonia) TOD – Transit Oriented Development
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Table of contents Introduction ...... 1 I] The State of the art...... 3 1) Literature Review on the Transit-Oriented Development concept ...... 3 a. What is Transit-Oriented Development? ...... 3 b. How to measure Transit-Oriented Development? The Node-Place Model Analysis...... 5 c. Barriers and challenges to the good implementation of Transit-Oriented Development ...... 7 2) Literature review on the RER project of Brussels ...... 11 a. Introducing the RER network ...... 12 b. The Brussels RER and Transit-Oriented Development ...... 14 c. Identified barriers and challenges for the good implementation of the RER ...... 16 II] Presentation of the Methodology and the Cases ...... 20 1) Methodology...... 20 2) The Studied Cases ...... 22 III] The position of role and positions of the main stakeholders:...... 24 1) The Federal level ...... 24 2) SNCB ...... 28 3) Brussels Capital-Region ...... 30 4) Wallonia ...... 33 5) Further comments on the identified opportunities and limits ...... 37 IV] Exploring the impact of the RER project on local cases ...... 38 1) Cluster A: North L124 & South L26...... 39 2) Cluster B: North L161 & Mid L26 ...... 47 2) Cluster C: North L26 ...... 56 4) Cluster D: South L124 ...... 63 5) Cluster E: South L161 ...... 71 6) Comparisons between the corridors and the regions ...... 79 V] General Conclusion ...... 81 Bibliography...... 84 Scientific publications: ...... 84 Primary sources from official documents, reports or websites: ...... 86 Newspaper Articles & other internet sources: ...... 89 Annex: Compilation of the Interview Summaries ...... 93
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Introduction
Since the early 2000s, a new suburban train network is being developed for Brussels metropolitan area. The project was founded with the signature of the “Interministerial Convention for the implementation of the ‘Réseau Express Régional’1 Program from, to, in and around Brussels” 2. It was signed in 2003 and ratified in 2006 by all the involved public stakeholders: the Belgian Federal State, and three regions: Brussels-Capital Region (BCR), Wallonia and Flanders3. Brussels metropolitan area overlaps the three regions, so the ‘Réseau Express Régional’ (RER) project needs the cooperation all these institutional levels4. As a transport infrastructure project, it also involves four public transport companies: SNCB-NMBS5 (the national railway company) and the three regional public transport companies: STIB- MIVB6 for BCR, De Lijn for Flanders and TEC for Wallonia7. The project faced many delays, first scheduled for 20128, they now expect to entirely finish the works for 20319. Since 2015, the RER network is officially partly in service, and it was renamed “S-Network” and “S-Trains” 10 in 2015. The S stands for Suburban. However, the project is still very known under the name “RER”, so both terms can be used likewise.
According to the 2003 Convention, the primary goal of the RER is to offer a strong public transport network for the Brussels metropolitan area in order to reduce the car congestion for environmental, health and economic reasons; it aims to improve mobility thanks to more sustainable transport modes11. The Convention also points out the high rate of car users in Belgium and the high potential of new commuters located in the periphery of Brussels12. The initial project is very ambitious as it aims to develop an integrated transport network for the whole Brussels urban area and the new suburban train lines are aimed to the “backbone” of it13. The RER Convention article 3 gives three objectives: to improve the public transport offer, to provide to the users an integrated service, to implement the “accompanying measures”14. The “accompanying measures” consist of all other actions ensuring that public transports will become more attractive than “motorized mobility” 15. The development of intermodality is cited as a key component of it16.
1 NOTE: Gewestelijk ExpresNet (GEN) in Dutch. 2 “Convention interministérielle visant à mettre en œuvre le programme de RER de, vers, dans et autour de Bruxelles de 2003”, https://wallex.wallonie.be/PdfLoader.php?type=doc&linkpdf=2765-2110-1250. (consulted the 13/10/2018), p. 1. 3 Ibid., p. 1-3. 4 Idem. 5NOTE: Société National des Chemins de Fer Belges (SNCB) / Nationale Mattschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen (NMBS),to simplify, it will be refered a as SNCB from now. 6 NOTE:Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles (STIB) / Maatshappij voor het Intercommunaal Vervoer te Brussel (MIVB), to simplify, it will be refered a as STIB from now. 7 “Convention interministérielle visant à mettre en œuvre le programme de RER de, vers, dans et autour de Bruxelles de 2003”, op. cit., p. 1-3. 8 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports/Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer, « Rail 4 Brussels : Etude en vue de l’amélioration de la traversée et de la desserte ferroviaire de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale dans un contexte multimodale », Version définitive, 04/01/2016, https://mobilit.belgium.be/fr/publications/pub (consulted the 16/04/2018), p. 17. 9 LALLEMAND, Caroline, “Le RER finalisé… en 2031 ?”, Le Vif, 28/03/2018, http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/le-rer-finalise-en-2031/article-normal- 819229.html (consulted the 10/06/2018), p. 25. 10 NOTE: Réseau-S and Train-S in French / S-Netwerk and S-Trein in Dutch. 11 “Convention interministérielle visant à mettre en œuvre le programme de RER de, vers, dans et autour de Bruxelles de 2003”, op. cit., p. 1-3. 12 Ibidem. 13 Ibid., p. 1. 14 Ibid., p. 2. 15 Ibid., p. 2-3. 16 Idem.. 1
Despite all the delays, the project is still on track and has probably evolved through time. Now the RER is partly in service and the remaining works have resumed (in 2018)17; it can be time for assessing the impact of such a large-scale project on the urban development of Brussels and its mobility structure. The railway is the only transport mode covering entirely the Brussels metropolitan area. The RER is probably the best way to implement land-use and transport integration at this scale, and thus to develop a more sustainable and transit-oriented city. How the suburban train network project in Brussels and Wallonia is impacting urban development? To what extent does it follow Transit-Oriented Development principles? We will try to answer this question under the scope of “Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD). TOD is a land planning model that concentrates urban densification and developments around public transport nodes. We will pay attention to the vision(s) behind the project and to what degree does it contribute to the use of more sustainable transport modes, and to Transit-Oriented Development. It will focus on the renovation of several RER train stations located in BCR and in Wallonia. The study is based on qualitative data collected from several stakeholder and expert interviews. The first part is be a state of the art on the concept of Transit-Oriented Development. An exhaustive review of what has already been written on the Brussels’ RER project will also be provided. The second part is the presentation of the methodology and of the selected case studies. The third part is an overview of the role and positions of all the main involved actors: The Federal level, the SNCB, Brussels-Capital Region (BCR) and Wallonia. It aims to grasp the main opportunities and limits to the development of TOD around the S-Network. Finally, the fourth part is a case study analysis of 29 RER stations, split in 5 clusters of stations, 3 BCR and 2 in Wallonia. It aims understand better the concrete impact of the project on precise cases. It focuses on the renovation of stations and their surroundings both in term of accessibility and urban developments, following Node-Place model criteria. The role and the positions of the local political level (municipalities) will also be considered.
17 LALLEMAND, Caroline, “Le RER finalisé… en 2031 ?”, Le Vif, loc. cit. 2
I] The State of the art
1) Literature Review on the Transit-Oriented Development concept
In this first part of the literature review, we will first define what is Transit-Oriented Development. We will also explain how TOD is studied and analysed by several scholars. Finally, we will list the possible barriers of implementing TOD. This literature review will essentially focus on examples of heavy rail train cases as the RER project is a heavy suburban rail network. In the second part. we will review what studies have been produced on the case of Brussels and its RER project. a. What is Transit-Oriented Development?
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a planning concept consisting of developing high-density and mixed-used spaces designed for non-motorized and more sustainable travel modes like walking, cycling or commuting by public transports18. Transit-Oriented Development heavily relies on high capacity public transports nodes which offer both city-wide and local accessibility19. Its objectives are primarily environmental; first, it aims to diminish the use of cars and consequently decrease air pollution and traffic congestion20. Second, it intends to limit urban sprawl and to reduce travel distance needs by encouraging proximity and density21. The concept is closely associated with the principles of mixed-used neighbourhoods and city compactness22. Besides, it is often estimated that a transit-oriented planned city “stimulates socio-economic benefits from urban agglomeration effects and resource efficiency”23. Dorina Pojani and Dominic Stead detailed the characteristics of the “‘ideal’ internationally formulated TOD principles and models” of today24. In short, the ‘ideal TOD’ is a dense, mixed- used built-up area with comfortable walking distances25. The design of the space should be safe and diverse; with an active travel orientation and a public transport node at its centre26. Active travel being non-motorized mobility, so essentially walking and cycling. The term “Transit-oriented development” (TOD) originates from the 1990s in the USA along the “new urbanism” movement27. The term was first coined by the American architect Peter Calthorpe in The Next American Metropolis in 199328. Then, the concept became quickly popular in several American and Australian cities29. TOD “is inspired by an idealized old- fashioned European town” planning style30. Indeed, similar urban planning models existed
18 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., “The influence of attitudes on Transit-Oriented Development: An explorative analysis”. Transport Policy, 2014, vol. 35, p. 326-327. 19 PAPA, Enrica and BERTOLINI, Luca. Accessibility and transit-oriented development in European metropolitan areas. Journal of Transport Geography, 2015, vol. 47, p. 70. 20 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 326-327. 21 Idem. 22 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank, loc. cit., 4, vol. 35, p. 326. 23 Idem. 24 POJANI, Dorina and STEAD, Dominic. Transit-oriented design in the Netherlands. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 2015, vol. 35, no 2, p. 133- 134. 25 Idem. 26 Idem. 27 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 326. 28 POJANI, Dorina and STEAD, Dominic., loc. cit., p. 132. 29 Idem. 30 Idem. 3
along railway, metro or tram networks in the late 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and also in the USA31. After WW2, during a period dominated by cars, some European cities like Stockholm or Copenhagen still developed their suburbs along transit corridors32. So today, it is actually a third generation of TOD that began to emerge; first in American cities like Portland33. Nowadays, TOD is back on the agenda: “many European metropolitan areas are promoting railway corridors as a tool and, at the same time, a target for achieving more cohesive territories and sustainable urban development”34.
TOD can be implemented in many different spaces and at different scale. “New TOD” occurs in entirely new built-environments, “High-density TOD” is implemented in already- existing urban cores, and “Low-density TOD” in more outer parts of a city35. TOD happening in urban centres can be part of a restructuration plan of the transit system, from a centralized network to a more polycentric network36. TOD can also be a way to attract more people in the inner city through densification around transit-nodes, it can contribute to reverse the effect of suburbanization and urban sprawl37. The scale of the implementation of TOD is also an important aspect, it can be done at the scale of neighbourhood, of a single city or a metropolitan area; with either a monocentric or a polycentric structure38. It can even by implemented at the National or International level along high-speed rail (HSR) stations39. In all cases, TOD is structured in “pearl necklaces corridors”40. Luca Bertolini identified several contemporary driving forces in term of TOD along heavy rail stations in Europe. First, the development of HSR let to the creation of major international stations which became multimodal centres with intense property developments41. HSR changed the status of the urban-regional trains; now, they are more dedicated for local or intermediate- distance travels42. The roles of HSR and other trains can be complementary in term of network structuration but they also can be in competition for public resources43. Second, the logistic innovation and the deindustrialisation of the inner parts of the cities in led to new lands available around train stations44. Third, railways companies have been privatized or they have at least adopted market-oriented strategies like “property capitalization” around their stations45.The redevelopment of train stations areas in central hubs tend to follow the mixed-used neighbourhood planning model in order make it an attractive place “where people live, work and consume” 46. In addition, the sustainable development discourse also favours compact urban patterns around transit-nodes47.
31 PAPA, Enrica and BERTOLINI, Luca, loc. cit., p. 70. 32 Idem. 33 Idem. 34 Idem. 35 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 328. 36POJANI, Dorina and STEAD, Dominic. Dutch planning policy: The resurgence of TOD. Land Use Policy, 2014, vol. 41, p. 363. 37Idem. 38BERTOLINI, Luca, CURTIS, Carey, et RENNE, John. Station area projects in Europe and beyond: Towards transit oriented development?. Built Environment, 2012, vol. 38, no 1, p. 32. 39Idem. 40 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 328. 41 BERTOLINI, Luca, CURTIS, Carey, et RENNE, loc. cit., p. 32. 42 Ibid., p. 36. 43 Ibid., p. 36. 44 Ibid., p. 32-33. 45 Ibid., p. 33 & 36-37. 46 Ibid., p. 33-34. 47 Ibid., p. 34. 4
TOD requires a strong coordination between land planning policies and mobility policies48. On one hand, it plans “to concentrate urban development around public transports in order to support transit-use” 49. And on the other hand, it aims “to develop transit-systems in order to connect existing concentrations of developments”50. TOD is animated by these two complementary dynamics51. Mobility policies have an impact on land planning and vice-versa. Several authors argue that the built-environment influences the mobility and travel habits. Robert Cervero and Kara Kockelman take into account three determining parameters: density, diversity and design, the so-called “3Ds” 52. Diversity means the mixity of activities (residential, commercial, work place); Design is about the organization of the public space and what type of mobility it favours (i.e.: a large road for cars or a pedestrian area for the footers) 53. According to their studies on travel behaviours, proved the 3Ds and the type of urban landscape influence how we move54. There is a clear dual influence between transport policies and land planning policies and this relation structures the urban environment. In the next part, we will see how this relation can be measured. b. How to measure Transit-Oriented Development? The Node-Place Model Analysis
The most famous way to measure TOD is Luca Bertolini’s Node-Place model:
“The model conceives station areas simultaneously as ‘nodes’ of the transportation network and ‘places’ of the city, and assumes that by improving transportation supply (the node value) in a station area will create conditions favourable to improve its intensity and diversity of land uses (the place value) and vice versa” (David Vale, 2015)55.
The model tries to explain the relation between accessibility (Node) and land use (Place). A “Node Index” and a “Place Index” are calculated from several different data and features of a train station and its surroundings in a determined catchment area (CA)56. For the “Node index”, 9 indicators are considered57. They can be classified in 3 categories: the accessibility by public transport (train, bus, tram and metro), the accessibility by car and the accessibility by bicycle (these criteria encompass several data like: number of transport connections, daily frequencies of transports, motorway access, bicycle path access, number of park lots etc.)58. The “Place index” involves 6 indicators that can be classified in three categories: the number of residents (and the density), the number of workers (classified by professional sectors), and the degree of functional-mix 59.
48 Idem. 49 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M. Urban Networks Special Issue: Measuring the Accessibility of Railway Stations in the Brussels Regional Express Network: a Node-Place Modeling Approach. Networks and Spatial Economics, 2018, p. 2 50 Idem. 51 Idem. 52 CERVERO, Robert et KOCKELMAN, Kara. Travel demand and the 3Ds: density, diversity, and design. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 1997, vol. 2, no 3, p. 200-201. 53 Idem. 54 Ibid., p. 216-219. 55 VALE, David S. Transit-oriented development, integration of land use and transport, and pedestrian accessibility: Combining node-place model with pedestrian shed ratio to evaluate and classify station areas in Lisbon. Journal of transport geography, 2015, vol. 45, p. 71. 56 Ibid., p. 73-74. 57 Ibid., p. 73-74. 58 Idem. 59 Idem.. 5
As we can see on the graph below (Figure 1)60, there can be 5 different “archetypal situations” in the Node-Place relation61:
- The balanced situation: there is an equilibrium between the two indexes:
“These are the places where the land use driven conditions for improving transport supply have been realized and the transportation driven conditions for intensifying and diversifying land use have also been realized” (David Vale, 2015)62.
- The “under stress” situation: the maximum value has been reached for both indexes, there are balanced but saturated with no more space for both transport or land needs, thus competition for land is very strong.
- The “dependence” situation is also balanced but where the transportation supply and the land use intensity and diversity are minimum, so there is few competition for land.
- The unbalanced node situation means the transportation supply is too high compared to the land use intensity and diversity, so either it will attract urban development or the transportation supply will be reduced.
- The unbalanced place situation means it has no sufficient transportation supply for the activities nearby, the demand for more transportation is high. Either transport supply will be increased or the place index won’t increase or even decrease.
Fig. 1: Bertolini’s Node-Place Model63
60Ibid., p. 71. 61 Idem. 62 Idem. 63Ibid., p. 71. 6
From these 5 situations, we can see that a node-place balanced station is not necessarily a TOD situation64. The node-place model quantifies the mutual relation between public transports and urban planning with several indexes65. It permits the comparison of the stations, and to establish a typology according to their characteristics66. Bertolini’s first classification of stations is: residential TOD, activity-centre TOD, potential TOD and non-TODs67.
This methodology has been widely used by many different scholars but not always with the same indicators, the same size of catchment area (CA) or the same final typology. Therefore, the conclusions might be very different. For instance, David Vale combines the node-place model of Bertolini with pedestrian shed ratio in order to classify metro stations of Lisbon, he focuses on the “pedestrian friendliness” of the urban design around stations68. He emphasizes that walkability around stations play a major role in commuter’s behaviours69. Finally, he classifies Lisbon stations in 6 different categories: “Pedestrian-friendly balanced node-places” or “Urban TOD”, “suburban TOD”, “Undersupplied transit TOD”, “Unbalanced TOD”, “car- dependent node places”, and “Balanced Transit-Adjacent Developments (TAD)”70. TAD is a car-dependent area where the Transit-corridor is only adjacent, the use of car remains dominant to reach the transport mode, this is often the case in low-density and monofunctional areas (i.e. residential areas)71. Contrary to Bertolini’s classification, David Vale differentiates TOD and TAD by not including pedestrian accessibility and car accessibility in the same index72. The Node-Place model analysis is a relevant method to compare the stations and to assess where public transports are needed or where to implemented TOD. The main limit of this approach is that it is based on quantitative data only73.
c. Barriers and challenges to the good implementation of Transit-Oriented Development
We will now review what are the different possible barriers and challenges that may prevent the good realization of TOD. David Banister listed 6 main categories of barriers of TOD: “resource, institutional and policy, social and cultural, legal, physical barriers, and finally the “side effects” (effects of one action reduce the outcome of another action)”74. In this part, we will first focus on the “Institutional and policy” barrier. Secondly, we will cover the particular case of the “urban sprawl” which can be related to Banister’s “legal”, “physical” and “social and cultural” barriers. Urban sprawl can be qualified as a “land-use path-dependency” barrier.
64 Ibid., p. 70. 65 Ibid., p. 72. 66 Idem. 67 Idem. 68Ibid., p. 70-71. 69 Ibid., p. 72. 70 Ibid., p. 77-78. 71 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 327. 72 Ibid., p. 71. 73 VALE, David S., loc. cit., p. 71. 74 CURTIS, Carey. Delivering the'D' in transit-oriented development: Examining the town planning challenge. Journal of Transport and Land use, 2012, vol. 5, no 3, p. 84. 7
Institutional and policy barriers
Carey Curtis focused the case of TOD implementation in the city of Perth, Australia75. She noticed that despite a long and well-developed stand for TOD policies at the decision-making level; few station’s precincts were subject to densification because local policy makers did not follow upper level TOD blueprints76. Curtis ‘statement is: “to implement TOD requires strong integration and coordination between the different public planning agencies”77 and for the case of Perth, a better cooperation between public transport planners and town planners was needed78. Bertolini also listed several possible political barriers or challenges for TOD concerning the train station itself. First, a maladjusted land use zoning that prevents mixed-use and densification79. Second, a railway company that is not willing to endorse the role of real estate developer, so he will not support any strong station redevelopments80. Third, a governance involving several public and private actors with different interests that are not able to reach an agreement on how to redevelop a station81. In short, although there is a clear political blueprint for implementing TOD, the policy making process composed of different actors with specific and various interests can prevent the realization of TOD.
Urban sprawl and the “land-use path-dependency barrier”
Low-density settlement patterns tend to rely heavily on cars whereas high-density environments tend rely on public transport networks82. There is a strong correlation between density and transit-use83. Alain Bertaud and Harry Richardson explain that urban areas with less than 30 inhabitants/hectare (3000/km2) usually have a very low transit-use (less than 10% of all trips), and when the city is denser, the public transport use is usually more important84. Besides, they suggest that the theoretical minimal density threshold for viable transports is 3500/km2 for light rail (tramway), and 5000/km2 for heavy rail (metro or suburban rail)85. It remains unclear whether transit investments automatically promote a more compact city86. Some arguments say that it will increase land value and thus trigger densification around transport nodes87. But other arguments explain that a better accessibility to the city centre with better public transports will generate further suburbanization with more inhabitants and jobs moving in the outskirt88.
75 Idem. 76 Ibid., p. 92-97. 77 Ibid., p. 84. 78 Ibid., p. 97. 79 BERTOLINI, Luca, CURTIS, Carey, et RENNE, John. Loc. cit., p. 42. 80Idem. 81 Ibid., p. 42 & 44. 82 BERTAUD, Alain et RICHARDSON, Harry W. Transit and density: Atlanta, the United States and western Europe. Urban Sprawl in Western Europe and the United States. London: Ashgate, 2004, , Chapter 7, p. 17. 83 Ibid., p. 4. 84 Idem. 85 Ibid. p. 8. 86 Ibid., p. 5. 87 Idem. 88 Idem. 8
Moreover, suburbanization and urban sprawl do not only depend on the availability of public transport modes but also on lifestyle preferences89. If the inhabitants prefer to live in the outer part of the city, they will probably have no choice to use a car as there are no or few public transport services in the suburbs90. TOD consists to make sure that both transit-use share and density increase; and thus, that both car-use and urban sprawl decrease91. The urban landscape and density level do influence the way commuters’ access to the transport node like a train station, “in cities where transit represents more than 30% of trips, the major mode of access is walking”92, some other cities also have high shares of access by bicycles93.
In many low-density cities like in the USA, car accessibility to a train station is very common94. In such situations, the use of “Park & Ride” (P+R) is a very efficient way to make transport nodes accessible 95. Michael Duncan studied the situation along the San Francisco Bay Area railway network96. He concluded that P+R were more efficient than TOD if the density level was not high enough97. According to him, P+R in peripheral areas are more practical ways to maximize ridership, especially when the built-environment is already sprawled; it makes any attempt of densification challenging98. Duncan noticed that a P+R increases the catchment area (CA) of a train station, from 0,5 miles (800m) by walk to 3,5 miles (5/6 km) by car99. A station with a larger CA and a lower individual rate of transit usage can produce more riders than a smaller CA and a high individual rate of transit usage100. P+R are easy and efficient options in peripheral areas for transport companies in order to guarantee a minimum rate of ridership101. However, the development of P+R comforts the status quo of car-oriented transport system and can contribute to more urban sprawl102. When car is the dominant access mode, it “defeats some of the goals of transit” because short-distance car trips at low-speed pollute more than longer trips at high-speed103. Locally, it can also generate important traffic jams during peak hours104. Moreover, the presence of large park lots could block the access to the station by active travel105. P+R can be considered as a barrier to TOD, at least for its densification and diversification goals106. Large P+R might rather generate a TAD situation107.
Another important factor is the social and cultural aspects of suburban life. The “individual travel-related attitudes” play a role on where the people live108. It involves many elements like the personal habits, the residential location, the work place, the preferred type of housing and
89 Ibid., p. 14. 90 Ibid., p. 14. 91 Idem. 92 Ibid., p. 9. 93 Idem. 94 Idem. 95 Idem. 96 DUNCAN, Michael. To park or to develop: trade-off in rail transit passenger demand. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 2010, vol. 30, no 2, p. 162. 97Ibid.,, p. 162 & 164. 98 Ibid., p. 162-163. 99 Ibid., p. 164. 100Idem. 101 Ibid., p. 164. 102 Idem. 103 BERTAUD, Alain et RICHARDSON, Harry W., loc. cit.p. 9. 104 Idem. 105 DUNCAN, Michael. To park or to develop: trade-off in rail transit passenger demand. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 2010, vol. 30, no 2, p. 164. 106 BERTOLINI, Luca, CURTIS, Carey, et RENNE, John., loc. cit., p. 42. 107 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 327. 108 DE VOS, Jonas, VAN ACKER, Veronique, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 326. 9
the income109. In the case of new-built TOD, the impact is minimal as it is only new the residents who will adapt to their new neighbourhood but some factors can still have an impact, for example the distance to work110. In the case of TOD in an already existing built-area, the shift of behaviour is likely to differ for each individual and to be unpredictable111. In the low-density areas, it is where households using cars are the mostly likely to not change their habits112. If the redesign of an area is made to limit the use of car, the residents might change their habits but the “car-loving” residents would rather move somewhere else113. On the other hand, the area might attract new residents who do not own a car and are attracted by the good public transport offer114. The lifestyle, the needs and the capacity to adapt of each household matters in the success of TOD115. If the travel-related attitudes are not compatible to the existing dominant travel-mode, there is a “residential dissonance”116. The implementation of TOD and the reduction of space for cars have a sociological impact, it can even modify the demographic profile of a neighbourhood. TOD intends to reduce car-dependency and urban sprawl; but it can be very challenging to implement in the suburban environment, for geographical and sociological reasons.
109 Ibid., p. 326-327. 110 Ibid.., p. 329. 111 Ibid., p. 328. 112 Idem. 113 Idem. 114 Idem. 115 Ibid., p. 328-329. 116 Ibid., p. 328. 10
2) Literature review on the RER project of Brussels
In this part, firstly, a more precise description of the RER project is given. It includes the main lines of its History, the structure of the network and its potential. Secondly, we will focus on a particular study that applied the Node-Place model analysis to the RER network. Finally, some of the barriers and challenges to the good development of the suburban train network will be evocated.
Fig. 2: Map of Brussels S-Network117
117 Map taken and modified from DÖRRBECKER, Maximilian, “Carte du Réseau Express Régional Bruxellois (RER Bruxellois, Train S)”, Openstreet Data, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9seau_express_r%C3%A9gional_bruxellois#/media/File:Map_of_the_RER_Bruxelles_-_GEN_Brussels.png (consulted the 13/05/2019). 11
a. Introducing the RER network
The idea of a RER in Brussels and its periphery dates back from the 1980s and 1990s118. It was mainly supported by the very first regional government of Brussels Capital-Region (BCR) in order to tackle traffic congestion119. The RER or S-Network, will almost be entirely functional in 2024 but all the infrastructures are supposed to be completely achieved circa 2031120. The name “RER” can lead to believe the project is similar to the Parisian RER, but it is not exactly the case121. Unlike in Paris, Brussels’ RER shares the same infrastructures than the other long-distance trains 122. This is why, the SNCB changed the name for S-Train, to be less misleading and to sound more like the German S-Bahn123.
Fig. 3: Infrabel Map of the remaining works to achieve (2018)124
118 DAMAY, Ludivine. Un RER à Bruxelles? Socio-histoire des rivalités et des régulations politiques (1989-2013). Brussels Studies. La revue scientifique électronique pour les recherches sur Bruxelles/Het elektronisch wetenschappelijk tijdschrift voor onderzoek over Brussel/The e-journal for academic research on Brussels, 2014, p. 2. 119 Idem. 120 LALLEMAND, Caroline, “Le RER finalisé… en 2031 ?”, Le Vif, loc. cit. 121 COUR DES COMPTES (REKENHOF), “Rapport de la Cour des Comptes Réseau express régional (RER) : Mise en œuvre et financement”, Rapport en exécution de la résolution de la Chambre des représentants du 17 mars 2016, 2017, https://www.ccrek.be/Docs/2017_03_RER_MiseEnOeuvreEtFinancement.pdf. (consulted the 18/12/2018), p. 12. 122 Idem. 123 Idem. 124 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports/Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer, « Rail 4 Brussels : Etude en vue de l’amélioration de la traversée et de la desserte ferroviaire de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale dans un contexte multimodale », Version définitive, 04/01/2016, https://mobilit.belgium.be/fr/publications/pub (consulted the 16/04/2018), p. 25. 12
Figure 3 shows which lines of the S-Network are concerned by the infrastructure works. The infrastructures are about doubling the number of tracks from 2 to 4 on certain lines to ensure the “omnibus trains” (S-trains) will have their own lines on most of the network125. Some sections in the centre of Brussels will still be shared between S-Trains and the faster long- distance trains (“Inter-City Trains” or IC-Trains)126. The lines highlighted in Green and in Blue on Figure 3 are now achieved (L36, L96 & L50A)127. The main corridors that are still under work are the L124 and L161 in Wallonia and BCR. L161 will be entirely achieved in 2031 (2024: for Uccle-Moensberg station, 2025 for the Waterloo-Braine-l’Alleud section, 2026 for the Lillois-Nivelles section and 2031 for the De Hoek-Linkebeek section)128. For L161, all the sections should be finished around 2025-2026129. Several new stations were built along the railway corridors130. But no new lines have been built for the project, with the exception of the new Schuman-Josaphat tunnel which opened in 2016131. It is SNCB’s railway infrastructure firm “Infrabel” who is in charge of the works132. The network covers a 30 km radius area around Brussels City centre, the so-called “RER zone”133. The network currently has 144 stations134.
Today, the railway network of Brussels is centred on the “North-South junction” (L0) and its three main train stations Bruxelles-Midi, Bruxelles-Central and Bruxelles-Nord. They represent 82% of BCR’s stations frequentation135. Next, come the two stations of the European Quarter (Brussels-Schuman and Brussels Luxembourg), and Etterbeek station who represent 11% of the regional frequention136. So, 6 out of the 35 stations of Brussels concentrate 93% of the uses137. Most of the other stations are more legacies from the past than really used stations138. But mow, thanks to the S-network, more and more trains stop to most of the minor stations again. But the objective of 4 trains/hour minimum at every station is not met yet for several lines139. The North-South junction is currently highly saturated, 1200 train/day use it, is a real bottleneck for the entire Brussels and National railway networks140. The full development of the RER network could increase the pressure on the North-South Junction, this is why developing new infrastructures are currently under debate141. But some studies argue that the RER could actually be part of the solution thanks to a better redistribution of the train traffic on the other railway corridors in Brussels142. The Schaerbeek stations and Etterbeek stations are designated as potential stations that could become more important in the future thanks to their good
125 INFRABEL, “Un Réseau RER Express Régional à Bruxelles”, https://www.infrabel.be/fr/reseau-express-regional-a-bruxelles (consulted the 13/05/2019). 126 Idem. 127 NOTE : the L50A is achieved since December 2018. 128 INFRABEL, “Le chantier RER est officiellement relancé sur la ligne 124”, 28/02/2019, https://www.infrabel.be/fr/RER-L124 (consulted the 13/05/2019). 129 INFRABEL, “Un Réseau RER Express Régional à Bruxelles”, loc. cit. 130 Idem. 131Brusselslife.be, “feu vert pour le tunnel Schuman-Josaphat”, https://www.brusselslife.be/fr/article/feu-vert-pour-le-tunnel-schuman-josaphat (consulted the 13/05/2019). 132 INFRABEL, “Un Réseau RER Express Régional à Bruxelles”, loc. cit. 133 “Convention interministérielle visant à mettre en œuvre le programme de RER de, vers, dans et autour de Bruxelles de 2003”, op. cit, p. 3. 134 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M., loc. cit., p. 2 135 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports/Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer, op. cit.., p. 25. 136 Idem. 137 Idem. 138 FRENAY, Patrick. Pour un projet de développement territorial associé au RER bruxellois. Essai de mise en évidence des facteurs déterminants fondamentaux. Brussels Studies. La revue scientifique électronique pour les recherches sur Bruxelles/Het elektronisch wetenschappelijk tijd schrift voor onderzoek over Brussel/The e-journal for academic research on Brussels, 2009, p. 1. 139COUR DES COMPTES (REKENHOF), op. cit., p. 12-13. 140 TE BOVELDT, Geert et MACHARIS, Cathy. Tout le monde à bord? Un instrument d’aide à la décision pour le futur de la Jonction ferroviaire Nord-Midi à Bruxelles. Brussels Studies. La revue scientifique électronique pour les recherches sur Bruxelles/Het elektronisch wetenschappelijk tijdschrift voor onderzoek over Brussel/The e-journal for academic research on Brussels, 2018, p. 2. 141 Ibid., p. 2-3. 142 FRENAY, Patrick. ,loc. cit., p. 4-6. 13
locations, other smaller stations like Boitsfort, Uccle-Calevoet or Jette are also mentionned143. Moreover, Moensberg, Arcades/Watermael and Haren/Haren-Sud have a good potential for becoming key S-train connection stations between two lines144. So, we can assume that new local hubs will be created in the future, as many minor stations offer a great potential of development. In term of accessibility, the RER is not only useful for the commuters living in the periphery and working in Brussels, but also to Brussels’ residents for intra-urban mobility145. As each region implements its own spatial planning146, there is no unified urban development plan along the network. But, as already mentioned, many scholars indicated the high potential of the RER network to implement a polycentric TOD. Moreover, the Federal administration “SPF Mobilité & Transports” (SPF)147 highlighted in the “Rail 4 Brussels” report (2016) that all three regions had similar urban planning objectives following some TOD principles148. According to the report, the shared objectives are: densification, the diversity of functions, the revalorisation of railway as a structuring network, the valorisation of train stations as key places for urban planning, and the creation of synergies between the regions149. Therefore, it seems relevant to assess and analyse the TOD potential for the RER project. b. The Brussels RER and Transit-Oriented Development
A recent study conducted by Freke Caset, David Vale and Claudia Viana applied a Node-Place analysis to the entire Brussels RER network in order to measure the accessibility of the stations (2018)150. They implemented an empirical network analysis of all 144 RER stations in terms of TOD characteristics base on the node-place model151. The analysis is made on 4 different scales of catchment areas (CA): 700m, 800 m, 1200m and 3000m152. The node-place model used in this study is the “butterfly model” (see the Fig. 4) 153. The left wing of the butterfly includes all the node-related indicators which are the accessibility of the station by cycling, by public transport and by car154. The right wing gathers all the place-related indicators: the density (of inhabitants, employees and visitors), the diversity (degree of functional diversity) and the design of the built-environment (walkability criteria like the ped shed ratio)155.
143 Ibid., p. 12-13. 144 Idem. 145 LEBRUN, Kevin, L’accessibilité de l’ « hypercentre » bruxellois. Premiers résultats pour le transport public, Cadrages-Kader Ouvertures-Aanzet Focus, 2016, p. 172. 146 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M., loc. cit., p. 3. 147 NOTE : Service public Fédéral (SPF) Mobilité & Transports in French, Federale Overheidsdienst (FOD) Mobiliteit en Vervoer in Dutch. 148 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports/Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer, op. cit.., p. 91. 149 Idem. 150 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M. Urban Networks Special Issue: Measuring the Accessibility of Railway Stations in the Brussels Regional Express Network: a Node-Place Modeling Approach. Networks and Spatial Economics, 2018, p. 1-36. 151 Ibid., p. 3. 152 Ibid., p. 8. 153 Ibid., p. 8-9. 154 Idem. 155 Idem. 14
Fig. 4: The Butterfly model (Caset & al., 2018) 156
In total there are 14 quantitative indicators about the “Node” (3 for cycling and walking, 7 for public transports, 4 for cars) and 9 about the “Place” (3 for design, 5 for density and 1 for Diversity)157. Then, the study proposed a classification of the stations under 7 categories: unbalanced small nodes, unbalanced large nodes, high density stations, dependant stations, multimodal central network stations, balanced diverse stations and unbalanced car-oriented places158. This study aims to “provide empirical evidence on the land use and transport integration (LUTI) of all RER railway stations in order to assist policy prescription on a strategic level”159. This study is the very first one to implement a comprehensive Node-Place model analysis for the Brussels’ RER network and its classification permits to have clearer view on the RER station respective characteristics and potential160. It can be used for improving the “wider Brussels mobility system”; however, the study acknowledges it requires a strong interregional coordination161.
156 Ibid., p. 9. 157 Ibid., p. 11-12. 158 Ibid., p. 18. 159 Ibid., p. 3. 160 Ibid., p. 26-28. 161 Idem. 15
c. Identified barriers and challenges for the good implementation of the RER
A project in the midst of Belgium’s institutional fragmentation
The first and main barriers appears to be political and institutional. As seen before, the RER zone overlaps the three regions of Belgium. Since the federalization of Belgium, the regions have full competencies in term of territorial planning, environment, mobility, housing and employment. So, the Brussels metropolitan area is subject to three different mobility and urban planning policies162.
For the RER project, the governance challenge is high because they many different actors from the Federal level to the local level as the municipalities make their own mobility plans163. This institutional fragmentation creates problems for generating one clear vision for the project. The three regions developed different visions about the RER: Flanders aims to develop a polycentric network around Brussels, relying on its main train stations164. Wallonia focuses on the need of the daily-commuters who want to go as fast as possible to Brussels, it also improves the access to the train stations with the creation of P+R165. Wallonia seeks to attract new inhabitants in the periphery with this strategy166. BCR wants to use the RER network to complete its own urban network167. It is indeed a great opportunity for Brussels to enhance its transport network with a federal project which is not financed by its own regional budget168. Contrary to Wallonia, BCR sees the RER as a way to increase its residential attractiveness; the region wants avoid a further suburbanisation169. Here, we can find an obvious opposition between the periphery and BCR as they both want to attract more residents to the detriment of the other. Moreover, the peripheral regions are not in favour of more stations within Brussels as it will increase the travel-time for their commuters that usually want to directly reach the core of the city170. The SNCB is also reluctant about the multiplication of train stations, favouring IC-Train transit over proximity intra-urban transit171. At the beginning, the SNCB did not see the project as a priority for them as suburban or urban transport are not part of its “core-business”172.
The interinstitutional collaboration for the development of the RER project is clearly organized in the 2003 convention with the creation of cooperation organs173. Although, everything was made to bring all the parties together on the paper; in practice, the lack of coordination between the stakeholders due to various political, economic or technical reasons
162 BOUSSAUW, Kobe, ALLAERT, Georges, et WITLOX, Frank. Colouring inside what lines? Interference of the urban growth boundary and the political– administrative border of Brussels. European Planning Studies, 2013, vol. 21, no 10, p. 1514. 163 DAMAY, Ludivine. Loc. cit., p. 1. 164 CASABELLA, Nadia et FRENAY, Patrick. Regional planning choices: comparing the RER in Brussels (BE) and the Stedenbaan in South-Holland (NL). In : The 4th International Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism. 2009. p. 9. 165 Idem. 166 MAULAT, Juliette. « La desserte ferroviaire des territoires périurbains. Construire la ville autour des gares (Bruxelles/Milan/Paris/Washington) », Anne Grillet-Aubert (dir.), Bénédicte Grosjean, Géry Leloutre, Paola Pucci, Colas Bazaud et Karen Bowie. Flux, 2016, no 4, p. 102. 167 CASABELLA, Nadia et FRENAY, Patrick., loc. cit., p. 9. 168 Ibid., p. 14. 169 FRENAY, Patrick. ,loc. cit., p. 14. 170 LEBRUN, Kevin et DOBRUSZKES, Frédéric. « Des nouvelles gares RER pour Bruxelles? Enjeux, méthodes et contraintes ». Brussels Studies. La revue scientifique électronique pour les recherches sur Bruxelles/Het elektronisch wetenschappelijk tijdschrift voor onderzoek over Brussel/The e-journal for academic research on Brussels, 2012, p. 16. 171 Ibid., p. 3. 172 DAMAY, Ludivine. Loc. cit., p. 13. 173 “Convention interministérielle visant à mettre en œuvre le programme de RER de, vers, dans et autour de Bruxelles de 2003”, op. cit., p. 3-4. 16
explain why the RER has been delayed several times174. Another related issue is the lack of coordination between the 4 public transport companies operating in BCR and its periphery175. Their services or not integrated, the 4 networks have different fare systems176. The important number of stakeholders in the RER project and their lack of coordination probably represent the strongest barrier for developing a land-use and transit integration strategy.
Land-use path-dependency barrier in Belgium and in Brussels
Belgium’s land planning history tells us there is a long tradition of commuting from one part of the country to another177. Firstly, during the industrialization period, labour used to commute by trains and trams from their provincial towns to the production sites, it partly explains the high number of middle-size towns in Belgium178. Secondly, during the 20th century and especially after WW2, car ownership and single house ownership boomed179. It provoked car-oriented developments and suburbanization notably in Brussels metropolitan area180. The built-up rate is high in Belgium (20% National-wide and 26% for Flanders and Brussels) compared to the EU average (4,8%) or to its neighbour the Netherlands (11,5%)181. When we also compare densities of Belgium (374 inhabitants/km2) and the Netherlands (416 inhabitants/km2); we can notice that urban sprawl is particularly important in Belgium182. The linguistic situation of Brussels metropolitan area also shapes the city’ urban growth183. Many Flemish municipalities from the periphery see the migration flows from BCR as a “Frenchification” threat, so they try to attract Dutch-speakers instead, and to limit large-scale housing projects184. It incites BCR to grow and densify within its own borders in order to respond to the housing demand, but it also pushes some inhabitants further away in the Walloon French-speaking periphery instead of moving in the closer Flemish periphery185.
The mobility flow structure of Brussels area is constantly evolving and it tends to become progressively more polycentric186. Nevertheless, 56% of all employment in BCR are still occupied by people living outside the region, so there is a high number of daily commuters187. About commuting, The “Rail 4 Brussels” report (2016) published the modal- share for different mobility flows (Fig. 5, p. 18). The diagram on the left is the modal share within BCR; the one in the centre represents the modal share of the commuters from the RER zone to BCR; and the one on the right shows the modal share for the commuters coming from beyond the RER zone188.
174 DAMAY, Ludivine. Loc. cit., p. 13. 175 LEBRUN, Kevin et DOBRUSZKES, Frédéric., loc. cit., p. 16. 176 Idem. 177 CASET, Freke, DERUDDER, Ben, BOUSSAUW, Kobe, and al. “Planning for railway network connectivity and spatial proximity: balancing node and place functions in Flanders and Brussels Capital Region”. In : BIVEC-GIBET Transport Research Days 2017: Towards an autonomous and interconnected transport future. BIVEC-GIBET, 2017. (written notes), p. 2-3. 178 Idem. 179 Idem. 180 Idem. 181 POELMANS, Lien et VAN ROMPAEY, Anton. Detecting and modelling spatial patterns of urban sprawl in highly fragmented areas: A case study in the Flanders–Brussels region. Landscape and Urban Planning, 2009, vol. 93, no 1, p. 11. 182 Idem. 183 BOUSSAUW, Kobe, ALLAERT, Georges, et WITLOX, Frank., loc. cit., p. 1524-1525. 184 Ibid., p. 1515-1516. 185 Ibid., p. 1524-1525 186 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M. loc. cit., p. 7. 187 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M. loc. cit., p. 8. 188 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports/Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer, op. cit.., p. 58. 17
Fig. 5: Modal share in BCR / From RER zone to BCR / From out of RER zone to BCR (SPF, 2016)189
We can see there are less people using the train to commute in the RER zone (22%) than when they come from further away (40%), and the train is barely used for BCR internal trips (3%). It also shows the large proportion of car use, especially when we compare it to the public transports use. For internal BCR trips, walking is the highest travel mode, the car comes second, and it is more used than all types of public transports combined. Since the 1950s, the Brussels metropolitan area developed around the use of car which accelerated urban sprawling190, this is a hardly reversible trend. According to a recent study led by Xavier May, the number of matriculated cars in Belgium increased from 31% between 2006 and 2015, and the number of company cars increased from 56% during the same period191. Company cars are allocated vehicles by the employer that can also be used for private needs192, the company car system is very successful in Belgium because employees receive a non-taxed car as part of their salary, it is a tax system managed by the Federal State193. Most of company cars beneficiaries live in Brussels metropolitan area, particularly in the suburbs like the Walloon Brabant194. This system does not contribute to Federal taxes, it is also depicted as socially unfair because most of company cars beneficiaries already have high incomes195. It also encourages car-dependency as car owners tend to essentially use their company cars to go to work with negative impacts on mobility and the environment196.
189 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports/Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer, op. cit.., p. 58. 190 DAMAY, Ludivine. Loc. cit., p. 1. 191 MAY, Xavier, “L’épineuse question du nombre de voitures de société en Belgique”, Brussels Studies factsheet, 2017, p. 5-6. 192 Ibid., p. 2. 193 MAY, Xavier, ERMANS, Thomas, HOOFTMAN, Nils, “Les Voitures de société : Diagnostics et enjeux d’un régime fiscale”, Brussels Studies, Notes de Synthèse, 2019, p. 5. 194 MAY, Xavier, loc. cit., p. 5. 195 MAY, Xavier, ERMANS, Thomas, HOOFTMAN, Nils, loc. cit., p. 32-35. 196 Idem. 18
However, some other recent studies showed that despite the fact there are more and more cars, the use of more sustainable transport modes are also growing. According to a survey implemented by the SPF Mobilité & Transports on the home-work travels (2017), now the modal share for the people working in BCR is estimated to be: 36% for cars (- 19.9% 2005- 2017), 34% for trains (+ 5.5% 2005-2017), 19.1% for other public transports (+27.5% 2005- 2017), 4,4% for bicycles (+259% 2005-2017) and 3.5% for walking (+39% 2005-2017)197. The share of car-use only increases in Wallonia198. Therefore, the trend concerning Brussels are positive in term of sustainability, the growth of cycling is impressive, even though it still represents a marginal share. We need to acknowledge that it is only one survey and only about home-work travels. The current urban and mobility structure of Brussels does not help the potential implementation TOD, but some recent change of behaviours can be interpreted as a sign that things can change quickly.
197 (SPF) Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports, Direction générale Politique de Mobilité durable et ferroviaire, Direction Mobilité – Service Etudes et Enquêtes, “Diagnostic général sur les déplacements domicile-travail 2017-2018”, Head Editor : VANDAMME Emmanuelle, mars 2019, https://mobilit.belgium.be/sites/default/files/resources/files/final_report_wwv_2017-2018fr.pdf (consulted the 14/05/2019), p. 10 & 21. 198 Ibid., p. 21. 19
II] Presentation of the Methodology and the Cases
1) Methodology
The present study aims to complement and update what has already been produced by a qualitative approach relying on official documents and interviews. Due to the large number of actors involved in the project, it is important to gather the different opinions and positions in order to constitute an accurate overview of the RER project complexity. The final purpose is to assess the potential and the limits of the RER network for a Transit-Oriented Development, with a special focus on three railway corridors of the RER network. For a matter of feasibility, the analysis will only cover some parts of the network, 29 stations along three corridors: the L161, L26 and L124 Infrabel lines; in BCR and Wallonia. Flanders is excluded from the analysis. This is not an attempt to offer an exhaustive analysis of the entire network, but rather a special focus on several key areas of the network. (see the next part: “Presentation of the studied cases” for more details).
In total 19 interviews have been conducted (see the compilation of the Interview Summaries in Appendix, p 93) from several stakeholders and experts that accepted to share their point of views on the RER project. The goal is to collect many different qualitative data regarding the positions and strategies of each stakeholder, and also to evaluate the impact of the RER on local urban development and mobility planning. At the Federal level, 3 interviews have been conducted: at the SNCB’s RER cell, at the federal administration SPF Mobility & Transports (SPF)199, and at Beliris200. At the BCR regional level: 3 interviews from 3 different administations: Bruxelles Mobilité, Perspective.Brussels and the Société d’aménagement urbain (SAU). Respectively, the mobility service, the urban development strategy agency and the urban planning agency. At the Walloon regional level: 1 interview from the Railway Cell of Wallonia and 1 from the environment & land development department of the Walloon Brabant Province. There is also 1 interview from Patrick Frenay, an independent town planning and mobility expert. His interview summary is used as complementary information in order to put in perspective several problematics. The 10 other interviews are from people working in various municipalities where the studied stations are located. In practice, the interviews were made with the persons who accepted to participate, and who are the most qualified regarding the station(s) located in their municipalities. This led me to interview people working in various positions like in the urban planning service or the mobility service. 2 inteviewees work in their municipalities as aldermen, one of them used to work for TUC-rail201 on the RER project. Some municipalities did not desire to participate, or it did not worth to conduct an entire interview as the concerned station were a less relevant case to study, like Merode station in Etterbeek.
199 NOTE: SPF means “Service public fédéral” (Federal Public Service), Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer in Dutch, the SPF Mobility & Transports will be mentioned simply as “SPF” in the analysis. 200 NOTE: Beliris is a cooperation institution between BCR and the Federal level that takes care of financing and implementing large-scales projects in BCR. 201 NOTE: TUC-rail is a civil engineering subdsidiary company of SNCB and Infrabel. 20
All interviews were conducted in French. Because of the translation and the length of some interviews, the transcriptions are translated and concise summaries. To be sure that the meaning was not altered through the process, all summaries have been resent to each respective interviewee in order to receive a formal agreement on their accuracy. Some elements in the summaries have been updated after the date of the interview thanks to complementary information provided by the interviewees. The interviews were all guided by open questions. They covered very different aspects and the format was not restrictive. There are some differences between the interviews led at the municipal level and the ones led at the federal or regional levels. The first ones are focused on local situations and specific stations, whereas the other ones are based on a much broader point of view on the RER project with a special attention to the studied corridors.
The interviews’ guideline is structured in 2 main parts. The first one covers the role, the position and strategies of the stakeholder regarding the RER project. The second part focuses on the enforced measures concerning the accessibility of the station(s), and the measures concerning the urban development around them. Thus, this second part is composed of two problematics: “the station as a Node” and the “station as a Place”. The goal is to collect all the qualitative data regarding the impact of the RER project on the urban landscape by following the Node-Place model criteria. “The Node” criteria are accessibility by walk, bicycle, car and public transport. “The Place” criteria are densification, diversification and the inclusion of the station within its urban environment (degree of centrality). In the case of municipal-level interviews, these criteria are addressed to each station located in the municipality. In the case of the other interviews, this problematic is treated on a larger scale, with specific examples when relevant. The notion of temporality is also important, some stations have already been fully renovated, some are not achieved yet, others will be renovated soon. Although, the structures of the interview summaries might look different, they still follow this main guideline. This can be explained by the open question and discussion format. The background of the interviewee also probably influenced the shape of the interview; for example, a mobility expert would be more inclined to talk about the accessibility of a station, and an urban planner about the urban redevelopments. The 19 interviews permitted to collect a large number of qualitative data that have been synthesized in the analysis, some information present in the summaries are not treated because they were not the most relevant for the analysis.
21
2) The Studied Cases
The study focuses on three different railway corridors: the L161, the L124 and L26; encompassing 29 stations in total. 19 are located in BCR, (out of 35 open stations)202; 10 are located in Wallonia. 9 of them are existing stations (out of 15 open stations)203, and 1 is not open yet (Braine-Alliance). All the studied stations are local or medium-size stations that mainly have an S-train offer, the largest studied one are Etterbeek station in BCR and Ottignies in Wallonia. The analysis of the studied cases is divided in 5 different “clusters”, 3 are located in BCR and 2 in Wallonia, the clusters are listed from A to E (see fig. 6 p. 23). For a matter of simplification, the names of the stations and the municipalities will be mentioned in French only. Here is the list of the “clusters”:
- Cluster A North L124 & South L26 in BCR. 6 stations: Uccle-Calevoet, Uccle-Stalle and Forest-Est on L124; Moensberg, Saint-Job and Vivier d’Oie on L26. Municipalities: Forest and Uccle (BCR)204. - Cluster B North 161 & Mid L26 in BCR. 6 stations: Germoir, Etterbeek, Watermael and Boitsfort on L161; Boondael, Arcades and Delta on L26. *Watermael and Arcades are considered as the same node. Municipalities: Ixelles, Watermael-Boitsfort and Auderghem205. - Cluster C North L26 in BCR. 6 stations: Merode, Meiser, Evere, Bordet, Haren and Haren-Sud. *Haren-Sud is located on L36, Haren and Haren-Sud are considered as the same node. Municipalities: Auderghem, Schaerbeek, Evere and Brussels-City206. - Cluster D South L124 in Wallonia. 5 stations: Waterloo, Braine-l’Alleud, Braine-Alliance, Lillois and Nivelles. Municipalities: Waterloo, Braine-l’Alleud and Nivelles. - Cluster E South L161 in Wallonia. 6 stations : La Hulpe, Genval, Rixensart, Profondsart, Ottignies and Louvain-la-Neuve. Municipalities : La Hulpe, Rixensart, Wavre and Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (OLLN). *Louvain-la-Neuve station is located on L161D.
In Wallonia, the studied cases are located on the two main corridors of the S-network, it gathers almost all the walloon RER stations; with the largest ones located in the lmost important urban centres of the Walloon Brabant Province like Waterloo/Braine-l’Alleud and OLLN. In BCR, the chosen cases are located on corridors where the S-Train provides the fastest way to reach Brussels’ “hypercentre” (the Grand-Place area)207. It essentially concerns the stations located in the South (Forest, Uccle, Ixelles, Watermael-Boitsfort) and in the Northeast
202 NOTE : it does take into account the projected station Anderlecht-CERIA as it was not open yet at the time these lines were written. 203 NOTE: there are 20 stations in Wallonia when we consider the stations on the L140 between Ottignies and Villiers-la-Ville that are originally part of the RER project, but they are not part of the S-network for the moment. 204 NOTE : in Dutch : Ukkel-Kalevoet, Ukkel-Stalle, Vorst-Oost (L124), Moensberg, Sint-Job, Diesdelle (L26) in Ukkel and Vorst. 205 NOTE : in Dutch : Mouterij, Etterbeek, Watermaal, Bosvoorde (L161), Boondaal, Arcaden, Delta (L26) in Elsene, Watermaal-Bosvoorde and Oudergem 206 NOTE: in Dutch: Merode, Meiser, Evere, Bordet, Haren and Haren-Zuid located in Oudergem, Schaarbeek, Evere and Brussel-Stad. 207 LEBRUN, Kevin, L’accessibilité de l’ « hypercentre » bruxellois. Premiers résultats pour le transport public, Cadrages-Kader Ouvertures-Aanzet Focus, 2016, p. 172-174 22
(Schaerbeek, Evere, Brussels-City) 208. This is where the impact of the S-Network can be the most expected in both regions. The big number of cases permits to grasp a large variety of specific situations. From the very local station to the 6th most important station of Brussels (Etterbeek) in term of frequentation; from stations located in the Brussels’ high-density urban core to stations in low-density periphery. This is a way to assess the impact of the RER project in different contexts. The analysis by cluster group of stations is justified by the fact that the renovation of a certain station might have an impact on the neighbouring ones. This approach allows us to investigate the level of cohesion between the renovations. It is important to separate the stations per region as the regional policies and strategies do influence the project. It will be possible to compare the regional approaches.
Fig. 6: Map of the RER network with the studied clusters and stations209
208 Ibid, 172-174 209 Map taken and modified from DÖRRBECKER, Maximilian, loc. cit.. 23
III] The position of role and positions of the main stakeholders:
The first part of the analysis reports the role, the positions and strategies of each major actor involved in the RER project: the Federal State, the SNCB; and the two analysed regions: BCR and Wallonia. The goal is to identify the main opportunities and limits for TOD around the RER project.
1) The Federal level
The tasks of the Federal level in the RER project
The role of the “Service Public Fédéral Mobilité et Transports”(SPF) is to monitor the good implementation of all the investments related to the RER; to do so, they work in direct relation with the SNCB and Infrabel210. As mobility is not a Federal competency anymore, except for the railway sector, its role is rather limited. However, The SPF is currently charged to elaborate an “inter-federal mobility vision”, this means to command a new study that will express a “common and comprehensive mobility vision” 211. According to the SPF, this is a hard task because the regions have different interests and specificities212, but some “views start to converge notably on the necessity to articulate urban planning along non-motorized transport networks and developing alternatives to cars”213. One of the main challenges is to connect car- oriented “business activity parks” (or “zoning” as it is sometimes called) with public transports214. Other land planning measures like “Betonstop” in Flanders and a similar initiative in Wallonia show a certain will to limit urban sprawl but land planning215. Like mobility, Land planning is a 100% regional competency, so the Federal level does play any particular role216. Besides monitoring and conducting studies, the SPF Mobility & Transports also takes part to the “Steering Committee RER”, one of the RER cooperation organs217. The RER 2003 convention created 3 different levels of cooperation218: - The Executive Committee of Ministers of Mobility (“Comité Exécutif des Ministres de la Mobilité” (CEMM)) gathering the 3 regional ministers of mobility & transports and also the federal one, they ensure the overall coordination between the different parties. - The “Steering Committee” is composed of 12 representatives of the 4 ministers, the 4 different administrations responsible for the Mobility & Transports, and the 4 different public transport companies. This is where the negotiations on the implementation of the project takes place. - The “operational group” composed of the 4 transport companies only. Its activity is split in 4 working groups covering different operational issues: the pricing, the place, the promotion and the offer.
210 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 22. 211 Ibid., 26. 212 Idem. 213 Idem. 214 Idem. 215 Idem. 216 Idem. 217 Ibid p. 22 218 Idem. 24
According to the Court of Audit of Belgium 2017 report219, the CEMM only met 3 times before 2016220. The steering committee only regularly met between 2006 and 2009, between 2009 and 2016 they only met 7 times instead of the scheduled 41221. Since 2017, the steering committee is more active again, they meet almost every month, “the Federal government wants the revival of the project”222. The operational group was only created in 2008; since 2012 only 4 working groups are active223. The void left by the inactivity of the RER organs between 2009 and 2016 impeded the establishment of strong implementation framework for the RER project224. As written in the article 13 of the 2003 Convention, the steering committee is also in charge of ordering an impact and feasibility study for the project every 5 years225. Since the ratification of the convention, only one study was released in 2009, the so-called “article 13 study”226.
The negotiations between the stakeholders in the RER steering committee: compromise and unsolved issues
The negotiations held in the steering committee cover two aspects: the required infrastructures and the network exploitation227. About the infrastructures works, the implementation faced many delays, the SPF explained that the “two main reasons to the delays were technical and financial” 228. The technical problems encountered during the works increased the expenses, these were notably due to compensations and guarantees asked at the local level in order to diminish the impact of the new infrastructures like the construction of sound-muffing walls between the tracks and residential areas229. “The delays themselves generated further costs”230. Financially, the different stakeholders struggled to reach an agreement on the budget231. Initially there was a unique closed budget envelope of 1.6 billion euros called “RER fund”232. The RER fun was quickly emptied because of the extra-costs; today the works did cost 2.15 billion euro and the final cost is estimated at 2.8 billion euros233. The railway sector is managed at the Federal level but the investments must be distributed according to the so-called “60/40 repartition key”: 60% of the investments go in Flanders and 40% in Wallonia (investments in BCR are not subject to this repartition, it is a special case)234. The 60/40 key complicated the negotiations235. Especially now that the remaining infrastructure works are mostly located in Wallonia, on L161 and L124; the train offer should increase step-by-step, notably after
219 Cour des Comptes / Rekenhof, “Réseau Express Régional (RER), Mise en œuvre et financement”, Rapport en exécution de la résolution de la Chambre des représentants du 17 mars 2016, 25 janvier 2017, https://www.ccrek.be/Docs/2017_03_RER_MiseEnOeuvreEtFinancement.pdf (consulted the 27/11/2018). 220 Ibid., p. 41-42. 221 Ibid., p. 41-42. 222 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 22. 223 Cour des Comptes / Rekenhof, op. cit., p. 41-42. 224 Idem. 225 “Convention interministérielle visant à mettre en œuvre le programme de RER de, vers, dans et autour de Bruxelles de 2003”, op. cit., p. 4. 226 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 23. 227 Idem. 228 Idem. 229 Idem. 230 Idem. 231 Idem. 232 Idem. 233 Idem. 234 Idem. 235 Idem. 25
2024/2025236. The financing of these current works is now guaranteed by a new “railway cooperation agreement 2018-2031” that has been signed by all parties at the end of 2018237. No matter the potential delays, the financing is secured, Wallonia asked to list, as detailed as possible, all the required works in order to avoid new extra-costs, and also to guarantee the good achievement of all the remaining works238. According to the SPF, the regions play a more active role, one part of the budget is directly financed by them and concern investments in their respective territories (100 million € for Flanders and 32.5 million € in Wallonia)239. Thus, the regions have more room to express their priorities in term of infrastructures240. The regional financing concerns what is called “combi- mobility”, infrastructures favouring multimodality like bus stops and park lots241.
Concerning the network exploitation, the final objective is known: 4 train/hour minimum at every station; but “many points still need to be negotiated” about details like opening/closing new stations, the itinerary of the lines etc.242. “Today the strategy is to increase and improve the S-Train offer step by step”243. The 4 involved transport companies failed so far to create an integrated public transport service for the RER zone244. The 2003 Convention stipulates they have the possibility to create a new common legal structure that would manage the entire RER network (all public transports within the RER zone) 245. But when the Convention was passed in 2005, a comment was added saying that this possibility was only at the initiative of the four governments (3 regionals and the federal one), it was never implemented246. However, the public transport companies took small steps like the common ticket for single-rides; or the “MTB subscription247” allowing to use all types of public transports in a certain area248. However, it does not entirely cover the RER zone249. Now, one of the current addressed issues at the level of the public transport companies, is to improve the visibility of the S-network and its connections with the other public transport modes, this means new signage250.
236 Idem. 237 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 25. 238 Idem. 239 Idem. 240 Idem. 241 Idem. 242 Ibid., p. 23. 243 Idem. 244 Cour des Comptes / Rekenhof, op. cit., p. 41-42. 245 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 24. 246 Idem. 247 NOTE : MTB subscription allows to travel anywhere in BCR and several neighbouring municipalities on STIB, SNCB, De Lijn and TEC. 248 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 24. 249 Idem. 250 Idem. 26
The SPF and the company car system
The Federal level has also recently reformed the “company car fiscal system” 251. They now propose a “mobility budget” that can be used for any transport modes (cars, public transport tickets, bicycles or scooters) 252. It also enables to finance a rent or a mortgage loan if the person lives at less than 5 km from its workplace253. The goal is to open up this fiscal system to other transport modes, and also encourage to live closer to its workplace in order to reduce the mobility needs. It does not particularly incite to drop its car for another transport mode, but it provides more alternatives for the employees benefiting from this fiscal system.
The role of Beliris in the RER project
Beliris is another Federal institution that works on the RER project. They carried out a “study on the potential and intermodality of the RER stations” in 2015254. It aims to identify what kind of new infrastructures and equipments are required to improve the accessibility and comfort of the minor RER stations in BCR255. According to Mr. Timmermans (Beliris) “this is a way to complement the article 13 study”256. It includes the platform’s direct accessibility, notably for Persons with reduced mobility (PRM); and the possibility to add car and bicycle park lots257. The equipments include ticket machines, signage, benches, shelters, toilets and water fountains258. Beliris proposed 4 different scenarios of implementations with different priorities and budgets259. The study is only about accessibility, visibility and equipments, there were no considerations regarding urban developments260. Beliris works with many different actors like SNCB, STIB, TEC, De Lijn and several regional agencies like the Parking.Brussels or Bruxelles Mobilité261. The renovation of some stations already happened, the actor financing and implementing the renovation varies according to the case, sometimes only SNCB is in charge, sometimes Beliris financed it262.
The federal level is limited by its competencies, it did not manage to create a good cooperation around the RER project. The highly fragmented institutional system is a major barrier against a successful implementation of the RER project that will abide to its 2003 Convention objectives. The absence of regular comprehensive studies, the regular disagreements in the negotiations on investments and network exploitation prevent the constitution of a single vision and strategy around the project. But since 2016/2017, it seems that the Federal level institutions take more initiatives for the development of the S-network and for other more sustainable transport modes.
251 SPF Mobility & Transports – 12/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 26. 252 Idem. 253 Idem. 254 Bart Timmermans – Beliris – 19/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 61-63. 255 Idem. 256 Ibid., p. 61. 257 Ibid., p. 61-63. 258 Ibid.¸p. 63. 259 Idem. 260 Ibid., p. 62. 261 Idem. 262 Ibid., p. 63-64. 27
2) SNCB
The evolution of SNCB’s position regarding the RER project
According to Mr Geerts (RER Cell): “the SNCB took a lot of time to embrace the RER project”, even if the project was enacted in 2001, “the train company still considered that long- distance trains (IC-trains) were its main core-business”263. “In parallel, the SNCB was not the only actor to not carry out the project as many political actors were not very interested in it”264. “The 2003 Convention expresses a very assertive and ambitious vision of creating a suburban network […] but the resources to execute the objectives of the convention did not follow”265 . It is only in 2014, with the creation of the “RER cell” and the start of the S-Network in 2015 that the SNCB took a more active role in the implementation of the RER project (besides the infrastructure works made by Infrabel)266. The SNCB is composed of several firms managing different aspects of the RER. Infrabel and its firm TUC-rail take care of the civil engineering/infrastructure works like the construction of the platforms and the tracks. The SNCB operates the S-trains. Two other affiliated companies of the SNCB have the task to redevelop stations and to do real estate management: Eurostation and Eurogare267. Eurostation in Flanders and BCR, Eurogare in Wallonia268. “Recently, Eurostation was absorbed by SNCB, […] Eurogare still exists but it is not very active anymore269.
The main technical barriers to the development of the S-Network
Regarding the S-network exploitation, the IC-Train/S-Train cohabitation remains an issue: “The SNCB needs to find the right balance between developing the S-train offer and the faster IC-trains that arrive in the heart of Brussels without stopping at every station”270. According to Mr. Frenay (urban planning and mobility expert), the SNCB gives priority to the high-speed trains on the network, secondly to the IC-trains and then only come the S-trains271. So, the S-Trains regularly suffer from “cascade-delays”, notably because of the saturation of the North-South junction272. Several solutions are discussed to solve the “junction bottleneck”, the next measure from the SNCB is likely to be the automatization of the signalling system, “it will increase the capacity and frequencies of the trains within the junction, the entire national system must be automatized as 1/3 of all Belgian trains roll through the junction every day273. IC-Trains and S-Trains have the same fares and ticketing for the same distance, so the IC-Trains are more attractive because they are faster, they do not stop at every station274.
263Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 50. 264 Idem. 265 Idem. 266 Idem. 267 Ibid., p. 55. 268 Idem. 269 Idem. 270 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 51. 271 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 9-10. 272 Idem. 273 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 51-52. 274 Ibid., p. 54. 28
The SNCB’s current strategy for the development of the S-Network
The RER cell now hardly works on the S-network as a commercial product, they try to increase the frequentation of the S-trains with advertisement275. “A new name and new logo were a way to create a clear identification of the network, many people do not know the existence of this network yet, particularly in BCR”276. The SNCB is now interested to valorise its intra-urban offer by encouraging Brussels’ residents to use the S-network277. The S-network is visually more present with “S-train totems” at the entrance of the stations278 (see fig. 7 on the right). Real estate promotion and land valorisation are not part of SNCB’s current strategy, the company refocuses on its “core-business” which is rail transport before the sector opens up to other actors279. According to Mr. Geerts, “the regions and municipalities could play a bigger role in making some stations more attractive by densifying and developing activities in their surroundings280. The SNCB conducts several internal studies about the commuter’s behaviours and on the frequentation of the S-trains281. These studies are very often confidential, the exchange of data with other actors is limited282. “The SNCB is reluctant to share information as the railway market could be open to private actors in 2023, so every information has a commercial value”283.
The main identified barriers against the good development of the S-network from the SNCB’s perspective are technical. The network in Brussels is saturated, the long-waited infrastructure achievements should relieve the problem but not entirely solve it. The central problem is the monocentric structure of Belgium’s railway network around the North-South junction. Regarding the station’s redevelopments, the train company sticks to its primary mission of transportation, it does not intend to develop a real estate strategy. The SNCB estimates it is more the task of the regions and the municipalities to orientate urban developments around transport nodes. Another barrier is the lack of apparent cooperation in term of sharing data and studies. Although, the SNCB was reluctant at first, it seems the company is now more inclined to invest in its suburban and intra-urban offers, but its position does not look very pro-active, waiting for the demand to increase before improving the offer284. The strategy of the train company does not favour TOD policies around the RER network. As a public company, the SNCB depends on the political decisions and public investments, it is also financially limited.
275 Ibid., p. 51-52. 276 Idem. 277 Idem. 278 Idem. 279 Ibid., p. 55. 280 Idem. 281 Ibid., p. 51. 282 Idem. 283 Idem. 284 Ibid., p. 51-52. 29
3) Brussels Capital-Region
Historically, the BCR government is at the origin of the RER project and it is still a strong supporter of the project285. The region regularly communicates its position to the SNCB, they demand more investments and a few new stations, but “the lack of representation of the region within the SNCB did not help to make its position prevail”286. BCR is competent on its territory in term of land planning, several tools are used like the new Regional Spatial Development Plan (2018): Plan Régional de développement durable (PRDD)287 and the current Regional Mobility Plan: Plan regional de mobilité called “Good Move plan” (the first version has been recently adopted by the regional parliament in April 2019)288. These new plans show that Brussels region is engaging new strategies in term of mobility and urban developments, we will see how it integrates the RER minor stations and the notion of TOD.
The Regional Spatial Development Plan
One of the main objectives from the PRDD is to reduce the space used by cars throughout BCR; and to support other transport modes such as walking, bicycling and public transports289. The region wants to develop new multimodal hubs, and to reinforce existing ones, some are centred on RER minor stations290. Several ones are subject to urban redevelopments and densification plans with the establishment of “Plans d’aménagements directeurs” (PAD)291. PADs are land planning tools used by the region to totally redevelop an area, PADs provide a lot of flexibility and freedom to the urban planners as it allows land-use planning modifications292. BCR tackles the mobility issues on several scales, regarding the “metropolitan scale”, the brought solutions are the S-network, new P+R, and the “RER vélo”293 (a wide bicycle path network which is progressively being built throughout BCR and its close periphery)294. The plan says the “major urban centres” should be connected to a metro and/or a S-Train line295. At the local scale, BCR wants to reduce the mobility needs by the reconfiguration of its territory in “noyaux d’identités locaux” (local urban centres)296. Each area would gather all the required services such as shops, public transports and public amenities, everything in a walkable distance297. Generally speaking, BCR wants to make Brussels a more polycentric city298.
285 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 47-48. 286 Idem. 287 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, Version approuvée par le Gouvernement de la Région Bruxelles-Capitale, 12 juillet 2018, http://perspective.brussels/fr/plans-reglements-et-guides/plans-strategiques/plan-regional-de-developpement-prd/prdd (consulted the 16/11/2018). 288 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Projet de Plan Régional de Mobilité”, Plan Stratégique et Opérationnel, Version approuvée par le Gouvernement, 04 avril 2019, http://goodmove.brussels/fr/plan-regional-de-mobilite/ (consulted the 26/04/2019). 289 Milène Deneubourg – Strategy Department, Perspective.Brussels – 13/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 64. 290 Idem. 291 Idem. 292 Ibid., p. 65 293 NOTE : “FietsGEN“ in Dutch. 294 Idem. 295 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit., p. 15. 296 Milène Deneubourg – Strategy Department, Perspective.Brussels – 13/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 64. 297 Idem. 298 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit., p. 14-16. 30
Another important objective is to respond to the demographic growth with densification on the model of a “compact city”299. The demographic growth of BCR is estimated to be on average of 10,000 new residents/year between 2015 and 2025300. The PRDD clearly stipulates that densification should be coordinated with transit-network developments and it should occur where “public transport accessibility is strong”301.The PRDD mentions the strategic areas that will be subject to redevelopments and densification via PADs, the main and largest area is along the Canal zone near the city centre302. This area is very central and already well-connected by public transport. Moreover, 12 other areas are concerned or will be concerned by PADs303. Three of them cover the central hubs of Brussels (Bruxelles-Midi, Bruxelles-Nord and the European Quarter)304. Six others have one or several minor RER stations in their perimeters; densification will occur on each of these sites305: - The “Pole Reyers” with the Media Park project; Meiser station is located nearby. The PRDD mentions that the station “should be revalorized”. - Josaphat, a new neighbourhood built around Evere station. - The ex-NATO headquarter site nearby Bordet station. - Delta and Herrmann-Debroux which includes Delta station (both metro and RER). - Etterbeek station with the redevelopment of the “Etterbeek & Ixelles Caserns” and presence of University campuses306. - The surroundings of West-Station will also be redeveloped.
9 other “local” strategic redevelopment areas are mentioned307. They are all located in outer parts of BCR, 5 of them are stations’ clusters: Calevoet, Moensberg, Boitsfort and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe stations308. For these cases, nothing will be directly implemented at the regional level, but BCR will support local initiatives of redevelopments309. Brussels’ urban growth will then be concentrated around or near transport hubs. According to Perspective.Brussels, it is easier to implement mobility and land planning strategies around the STIB transport nodes than with SNCB310. Every renovation of a train station needs to be negotiated with the train company311. BCR often tries to be heard but the small RER stations in Brussels are not a priority for the SNCB; the regional government already tried to pressure the SNCB by evocating the idea they could develop their own urban rail services with STIB in the future (when the railway sector would become an open market)312.
299 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit., p. 53-54. 300 Ibid., p. 24. 301Ibid., p. 53-54 & 55. 302 Ibid., p. 27-33. 303 Ibid., p. 33. 304 Ibid., p. 35, 40 & 42. 305 Ibid., p. 33-37, 40 & 43-48. 306 Ibid., p. 46-47 & 48. 307 Ibid., p. 51-52. 308 Idem. 309 Milène Deneubourg – Strategy Department, Perspective.Brussels – 13/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 65. 310 Ibid., p. 64. 311 Idem. 312 Idem. 31
The Regional Mobility Plan
The “Good Move Plan” is a complement to the PRDD313, it lists concrete actions to implement, it also clearly specifies who would be in charge of each action314. The main goal is to develop the public transports as a structuring network for the region315. A new STIB metro line is planned; regarding the S-Network, the measure only evocates the need to reinforce the connections with the railway “national and metropolitan networks”316. According to Mr. Lebrun (Bruxelles Mobilité): “BCR aims to increase the train modal share for intraregional travels” and “to develop a standardized organization of transport hubs”317. The region aims: “to better integrate the nodes in their urban landscapes, especially the S-Train stations”318. BCR also wants to encourage multimodal mobility thanks to “Mobility as a Service” (MaaS), an integrated mobility service platform319. The goal is to facilitate the connections between the different transport modes, public and private, and the different transport companies: STIB, De Lijn, TEC and SNCB320. According to Mr. Lebrun, Bruxelles Mobilité is not the only actor to take such initiatives, SNCB and STIB already developed new smartphone applications integrating several transport modes321. BCR would like to be the one that centralize these services322. BCR also calls for a closer inter-regional cooperation via the creation of a “Metropolitan Council of Mobility”323.
The latest BCR vision in term of urban planning and mobility follows on the paper several TOD principles. Several S-Train stations are in the heart of important designated redevelopment areas, there is a great potential for TOD around them. However, it seems that BCR prefers to primarily rely on its own transport network. As an entirely urbanized region, its approach towards the RER is somewhat different than the other positions.
313 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 48. 314 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Projet de Plan Régional de Mobilité”, op. cit., p. 13 & 188-189. 315 Ibid., p. 132. 316 Idem. 317 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 48. 318 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Projet de Plan Régional de Mobilité”, op. cit., p. 144. 319 Ibid., p. 99 & 137. 320 Idem. 321 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 48-49. 322 Idem. 323 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Projet de Plan Régional de Mobilité”, op. cit., p. 160. 32
4) Wallonia
The role and position of the Walloon Region
Wallonia created in 2012 a “Railway Cell” to finance or co-finance projects linked to the trains; it is an autonomous expert group on railway mobility324. Wallonia seeks to work more closely with SNCB and Infrabel in order to better integrate the railway to the walloon mobility projects325. The Railway Cell notably aims to improve the accessibility to the train stations326. For Ms. Wouters (Railway Cell), the SNCB only “invests the minimum required for each station’s renovation”, some of them are mere train halts, no real stations, and it is not always enough327. Regarding the position of Wallonia: “All RER stakeholders, including Wallonia, took many times to consider the RER project as a wider mobility blueprint and not just new train lines” 328. Now, “awareness for a more transit-based mobility” starts to rise in Wallonia, “but the debate is less advanced than in the other regions”329. The “60/40 repartition key” financially disadvantages Wallonia because the most of the remaining infrastructure works are located in the region while many RER works in Flanders were not financed via the 60/40 key but via the HSR project330. Wallonia is not completely satisfied by the current S-network331. The region desires to integrate the entire L140 between Leuven and Charleroi, with the same train frequency targets332. It is the only “cross-cutting” train line in the Walloon Brabant Province333. The two last RER stations needing to be entirely rebuilt and renovated in Wallonia are Ottignies and Waterloo, some others like La Hulpe or Genval are not completely achieved334.
The role and position of the Walloon Brabant Province
Brussels’ S-Network only covers a small part of Wallonia, almost entirely located in the Walloon Brabant Province. The Province, as a political institution, does not play an important role in term of decision-making, it only distributes some subsidies notably for roads and bicycle paths around train stations335. The Province analyses and supervises demographic and mobility issues at the Provincial scale336. It also released a non-binding mobility plan in 2011337 and a “land development diagnostic” report in 2018338.
324 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 41. 325 Ibid., p. 43. 326 Idem. 327 Idem. 328 Ibid., p. 41. 329 Idem. 330 Ibid., p. 43. 331 Ibid., p. 42. 332 Idem. 333 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 2. 334 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 42. 335 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 1. 336 Idem. 337 LENS, Jean-Philippe, NICAISE, Mathieu, TACKOEN, Xavier, VAN CAUWENBERGHE, Alix, “Plan Provincial de mobilité du Brabant Wallon : Orientations stratégiques pour garantir la mobilité provinciale, Synthèse”, Novembre 2011, http://www.brabantwallon.be/bw/vivre-se-divertir/mobilite/plan- provincial-de-mobilite-1/ (consulted the 24/10/2018). 338 Brabant Wallon, “Contrat de développement territorial : Diagnostic”, Service de l’environnement et du développement territorial, 2018, http://www.brabantwallon.be/bw/files/files/public/dvp-territorial/2018-07-03-A4-Diagnostic-Contrat-developpement-territorial-v3-web.pdf (consulted the 16/05/2019). 33
Regarding the station renovations, SNCB / Infrabel work directly with the municipalities who have the competency to deliver the construction permits339. According to Mr. Francis (Walloon Brabant Province), some municipalities asked many compensations leading to several extra- costs340. It went to the point that the Federal Minister of Mobility reminded that the RER project was meant to “increase the train frequency, not to renovate the stations”341.
According to Mr. Francis, the status of the Walloon Brabant has evolved since the start of the RER project342. It is not just a periphery of Brussels anymore; it is a polycentric conurbation of middle-size towns343. “When we look at the mobility flows, the province is less dependent to Brussels, every day 145,000 people commute between the Province and Brussels, whereas 330,000 people commute within the Province and 275,000 to or from other Provinces344. The railway only makes North-South connections, it does not respond to the East- West mobility flows (110,000 people per day), so “the RER is only a ‘small solution’ for the Walloon Brabant mobility”345. “To consider the Province as a mere suburb is a very ‘Brussels vision’”346. The Province “keeps absorbing the middle-class from BCR […] but the difference is the Capital-city does not concentrate all the jobs anymore; now there are several zoning activity parks in the Province”347. The Walloon Brabant has two main objectives. First, to reconnect the main urban centres with a structuring transport network, especially for East-West connections348. Second, to connect the business “zoning” parks to urban centres and transport hubs, these “zonings” are often located outside the cities349. The Province is now busy identifying the main potential nodes in order to properly restructure the network around several main corridors, the train stations are important nodes350. The idea to create a new East-West heavy transport line (train or tram) on the former L141 Ottignies/Nivelles was mentioned in the Provincial mobility plan351. The L141 is now a “RAVeL”352 bicycle path and nothing is planned to change it353. So, the strategy is to rely on more flexible transport modes like TEC buses, bicycles, car-sharing, P+R and “on-demand” flexiTEC buses.”354. TEC, does not cooperate much with the other actors355. According to Mr. Francis “the connections with the other transport networks could be improved” 356. “TEC still has a “school vision”, they adapt their offer to the schools’ schedules, not to the workers”357. TEC faces a harsh restructuration and struggles financially, so it is challenging to improve the bus offer for the moment358.
339 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 4. 340 Idem. 341 Idem. 342 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 1-2. 343 Idem. 344 Idem. 345 Idem. 346 Ibid., p. 2. 347 Ibid., p. 7. 348 Ibid., p. 1. 349 Idem.. 350 Ibid., p. 5. 351 Idem. 352 NOTE: RAVeL is the name of the bicycle path network in Wallonia. 353 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 2. 354 Ibid., p. 5. 355 Ibid., p. 4. 356 Idem. 357 Idem. 358 Ibid., p. 4-5. 34
The debate about urban development patterns in Walloon Brabant
The 2011 Provincial Mobility Plan central’s goals were to “articulate the territorial development around transport systems” and to “develop alternatives to car-use”359. For Mr. Francis, these objectives were too ambitious, the densification and modal shift targets are too high, 360. This is why several municipalities rejected it; “the mobility plan relied on urban solutions whereas the territorial reality of the Province is suburban”361. According to Mr. Francis, the Walloon Brabant municipalities usually do not conduct major densification plans, they do not want to change the current landscape362. Several municipalities still impose minimum 1 park lot per housing in urban centres even next to train stations363. The high car ownership rate in Walloon Brabant goes along with the typical suburban middle-class lifestyle364. For Mr. Francis, the limitation of urban sprawl with measures like “Betonstop” are very difficult to implement and costly365, densification around train stations and/or in urban centres is not always desirable366. According to him, it could be challenging in term of mobility, because some of the new residents will still use their car367. Moreover, densification and compactness could impact the demographic composition of the Province368. The middle-class families would leave the centres and the new apartment buildings will attract fewer active households like retired people or single-parent families; it is the suburban single-house lifestyle that attracts middle-class families in the Province369. Ms. Wouters thinks this “car-centred suburban social model” will have to change because there is less and less space in the Province, and less and less households can afford to move in370. “But it is very hard to change the behaviours and social habits”371. It is estimated that the Province will host 40,000 new inhabitants between 2017 and 2035, so the equivalent of its most populated city Braine-l’Alleud372. Both Mr. Francis and Ms. Wouters are rather critical about the P+R, these are costly infrastructures373. In certain areas, it exacerbates car congestion in urban centres, they think that active travel accessibility should be prioritized374.
359 LENS, Jean-Philippe, NICAISE, Mathieu, TACKOEN, Xavier, VAN CAUWENBERGHE, Alix, op. cit., p. 4. 360 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 3 & 6. 361 Idem. 362 Ibid., p. 5 363 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 44. 364 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 7. 365 Ibid., p. 5. 366 Ibid., p. 6. 367 Idem. 368 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 6 &7. 369 Idem. 370 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 44. 371 Idem. 372 Brabant Wallon, “Contrat de développement territorial : Diagnostic”, loc. cit., p. 18-19. 373 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 5. & Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 43. 374 Idem. 35
The latest mobility and urban development vision of Wallonia
In 2017, Wallonia adopted a new mobility vision called “Vision fast”375. Wallonia has the objective to decrease the car modal share from 83% to 60% between 2017 and 2030; and to develop more sustainable transport modes like the train (from 9% to 15%)376. This modal shift notably relies on the good implementation of the RER project377. Wallonia currently works on a new Spatial Development Plan called “Schéma de Développement Territorial” (SDT), its final version has not been adopted yet. The key measure of this plan is to limit urban sprawl by progressively concentrating new housings in urban cores and village centres; the objective is to completely stop land artificialization and urban sprawl by 2050378. The SDT promotes walkability, notably around the transport nodes like train stations, and it gives the objective to build 1000km of new “RAVeL” in all Wallonia for 2050379. It also promotes the construction of new P+R near train stations380. The S-network remains a key element of Wallonia’s mobility strategy; but the car-oriented and single-house suburban lifestyle in the Walloon Brabant represent a strong barrier. The Walloon Brabant tends to be less dependent to BCR, the strategy is to develop its own geo-economic structure with strong employment areas. In this context, the S-network is seen as a less crucial transport mode for the Province. Now, the Province wants to be more than a simple residential suburb; although it tries to preserve its suburban mobility and land planning characteristics. Nevertheless, this status quo is currently under debate in Wallonia along the new SDT, several ideas following TOD principles start to emerge.
375 Région Wallonie, “FAST: Vision de la mobilité wallonne d’ici 2030”, Mercredi 8 Novembre 2017, https://www.wallonie.be/sites/wallonie/files/actualites/fichiers/visionfastmobilitwallonie2030.pdf (consulted the 20/11/2018). 376 Ibid., p. 3. 377 Idem. 378Région Wallonie, “Schéma de Développement du territoire”, Projet adopté par le gouvernement wallon le 12 juillet 2018, Document soumis à enquête publique, version Octobre 2018, http://lampspw.wallonie.be/dgo4/tinymvc/apps/amenagement/views/documents/amenagement/regional/sdt/projet-sdt-FR.pdf, (consulted the 20/11/2018), p. 58. 379 Ibid., p. 99 & 58. 380 Ibid., p. 106. 36
5) Further comments on the identified opportunities and limits
We can easily apply the 6 main categories of barriers preventing TOD from Banister on the case of the RER project. First, the institutional and policy barrier is the Brussel’s institutional fragmentation and the high number of involved actors: “it is sometimes difficult to define who will take the final decision” (Ms. Wouters, Wallonia Railway Cell)381. Many uncertainties concerning the further development of the network remain. Second, the legal context does not help, according to Mr. Frenay, it is difficult to implement TOD from the federal level now that all the urbanistic and land planning competencies are regionalized whereas the railway is federal382.Third, the resources: the issues to reach an agreement on the budget, the 60/40 repartition key, and the ambiguity regarding the allocation of this budget (should it include the renovation of the stations or not) really harmed the project. Fourth, the physical barrier can be related to this case to the technical issue of the North-South Junction saturation and the IC-Train/S-Train cohabitation. Fifth, the social and cultural barrier was brought to us with the Walloon Brabant case and its car-dependent suburban lifestyle. Sixth, for the “side effects” , we can mention the construction of P+R in Walllonia, which could prevent TOD projects. Frenay estimates that the P+R maintains car-dependency and fosters urban sprawl by pushing the commuters in their cars for the “first mile” of their travel383. Moreover, the fact the SNCB does not endorse any real estate activity aound its stations can also be considered as a barrier.
To reach the 2003 convention objectives is going to be very challenging. Concerning TOD, there is clearly no common land planning strategy around the different RER stations384 . Moreover, Frenay said the stakeholders were not very pressed to solve these issues by taking difficult decisions now; they prefer to pass bucket to the next generation of decision-makers as the works will be done around 2030385. In opposition to this long list of limits, a few elements about the potential and the opportunities to implement TOD along the S-network have been detected. First, the stakeholders agreed on the budget for the remaining works, and the new “railway cooperation agreement 2018-2031” entails a stronger commitment from the regions. Second, the progressive appropriation of the project by the SNCB who now perceives a real interest in the S-network service to attract new urban users. Third, the mobility and land planning strategies of BCR clearly show an opportunity to associate the S-Train network to its current urban redevelopment plans. Four, the recent and progressive convergence of the main stakeholders’ positions seem to progressively shift their mobility vision towards more sustainable measures and a certain transit-oriented development logic. It could be promising for the future of the S-Network. Then, it can be interesting to see what concrete measures are now envisioned or implemented at the local level regarding the RER stations and their surroundings.
381 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 43. 382 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 10-11. 383 Ibid., p. 11-12. 384 Ibid., p. 10-11. 385 Ibid., p. 9. 37
IV] Exploring the impact of the RER project on local cases
This second part of the analysis focuses on the local implementation of the RER project and its impact on local urban planning; it is based on several cases divided in 5 “clusters”. It also reports the role and the commitment of the municipalities in the project. The goal is to assess to what extent each station’s renovation follows TOD principles, and to identify what are the opportunities and limits for each situation. The analysis relies the qualitative data from the interviews. Some quantitative data are also used, like the density level in 700m and 1200m catchment areas (CA) of each station (2011); and some SNCB’s stations’ frequentation counts (number of users/day). The density data386 and the CAs were collected from another research and were kindly shared by Freke Caset387. 700m is the most used perimeter for node-place analysis in Europe, and 1200m corresponds to roughly 15 min walk and 5min bicycle388. The 2017 and 2018 frequentation data are based from the latest SNCB publications389, the data for the previous years were collected from Bruxelles Mobilité390 and from IWEPS (the walloon statistical agency)391. IWEPS’ data provide the passenger count by municipality and not by station, several municipalities have more than one station, so it is not applicable for them. Despite the different sources, all these data come from SNCB’ yearly counts. They are not public every year. They represent the average daily use of station in number of passenger during weekdays. According to Mr. Frenay, SNCB’s data collection methodology can be very loose, it is simply based on on-board staff eye-observation at every stop, it is not very reliable for frequentation study392. The information on the train frequencies by station were found on SNCB’s website393. Only regular S-Trains and IC-Trains are taken into account, the additional “P-Trains” (Peak Hour Trains) in the morning and in the evening are not mentioned in the analysis394. The quantitative data are only used as indicative information to complement the analysis. By cluster, we will present the current profiles of each station will be presented, then will analyse the evolution of their situations regarding their “Node characteristics” and their “Place characteristics” will be analysed. Many details on the renovation of the stations and their surroundings were provided for each case by the interviewees. To limit an unproductive listing of measures for all cases, only the most relevant examples cited in the interviews are commented in the analysis. The different clusters will be then compared in a 6th part.
386 NOTE: The density data originally come from the 2011 census of Statistics Belgium. 387 CASET, Freke, VALE, David S., et VIANA, Cláudia M. Urban Networks Special Issue: Measuring the Accessibility of Railway Stations in the Brussels Regional Express Network: a Node-Place Modeling Approach. Networks and Spatial Economics, 2018, p. 1-36. 388Idem. 389 SNCB, “Chiffres voyageurs montés” https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/about-sncb/enterprise/publications/travellers-counts (consulted the 10/10/2018 for 2017 counts and 21/05/2019 for 2018 counts). 390 Bruxelles Mobilité, http://data-mobility.brussels/en/indicators/6/ (consulted the 21/05/2019) 391 IWEPS, https://walstat.iweps.be/walstat-catalogue.php?niveau_agre=C&theme_id=3&indicateur_id=217600&sel_niveau_catalogue=T&ordre=0 (consulted the 21/05/2019). 392 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 9. 393 SNCB, “Gares et Trains” http://www.belgianrail.be/jp/nmbs-realtime/query.exe/fn?HWAI=VIEW!view=realtimeinfo!& (consulted the 21/05/2019). 394 NOTE: The S-Train 81 line is a local P-Train. 38
1) Cluster A: North L124 & South L26
Forest- Midi
Linkebeek
Holleken
Fig. 8: Map of Cluster A stations
39
Cluster A current situation
Cluster A is located in the South of BCR, in Forest and Uccle municipalities. The 6 stations are in urban areas with different density levels (see fig 10, p. 41). Forest-Est and St-Job have higher density levels in their 700m CA; they are located in local urban centres, respectively next to Place St-Denis and Place St-Job. Moensberg is isolated from the rest of Uccle because of the irregular topography and St-Gilles cemetery395; the closest local centre is actually Linkebeek, but the Flemish municipality has its own station396 (see fig 8, p. 39). For the SNCB, Moensberg, Linkebeek and Holleken stations are too close from each other397. Uccle-Stalle is rather off-centred but still reachable by walk from Uccle-Centre (1200m). Vivier d’Oie RER station opened in 2007 in order to create a new connection with Chaussée de Waterloo, a major axis in the South of BCR398.
Regarding the infrastructure works in cluster A, Infrabel has to finish to double the tracks on L124 between Linkebeek and up to North of Moensberg station399. Moensberg is going to face massive renovations: the existing platform on L26 will be moved at the level of the crossing with L124, and a new platform on L124 will be added in order to create a key transit-node station between the two lines400. A new construction permit is required, the new station should open around 2024-2025401. In Forest-Est, only the platforms have been renovated so far, Infrabel plans to realign the two platforms in the future402. The other stations: St-Job, Uccle-Stalle, Uccle-Calevoet have not been renovated since the beginning of the RER project403. Fig. 9: Visual of the new Moensberg station from the previous construction permit (Eurostation)404
When we compare the different stations (see fig 10, p. 41), we can directly see the train frequencies are lower on L124 than on L26, and it has repercussions on the station’s frequentations. Only the frequentation of Uccle-Calevoet is as high than the ones on L26 like St-Job or Vivier d’Oie. Moensberg frequentation could rapidly increase once the S-trains on L124 will stop there. Uccle-Stalle frequentation is the lowest one, but the station also has the lowest frequency with only 1 train/hour. Forest-Est has the highest population density and the S-trains remain the fastest way to go to Bruxelles-Midi station and Brussels city centre from
395 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 40. 396 Idem. 397 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 398 Ibid., p. 56. 399 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 37-38. 400 Ibid., p. 37. 401 Idem. 402 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 14 & 16. 403 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 37-38. 404 INFRABEL, TUC-rail and Eurostation, “ligne ferroviaire RER Bruxelles-Nivelles : Uccle-Moensberg,un chantier près de chez vous”, Éditeur responsable : Benoît Gilson, 2011, https://www.infrabel.be/fr/documents/brochure-chantier-rer-uccle-sud-moensberg (consulted the 24/05/2019). 40
Place St-Denis405. “Despite the good location of Forest-Est, the station is not very known; the station is underused because of the lack of visibility, the extra-cost for Brussels’ residents to use it and the poor frequencies” (Cédric Verstraeten, Forest)406.
stations Forest- Uccle- Uccle- Moensberg Saint-Job Vivier d'Oie Est Stalle Calevoet infrastructure Infrabel line L124 L124 L124 L26 (& L124 in L26 L26 2024-2025) current state of not not not renovated future not fully renovated the station renovated renovated reconstruction renovated (open since (2019) 407 (2024-2025) 12/2007) SNCB indicative hierarchization local station local growing local station medium-size medium-size (Geerts) 408 in urban station medium-size (future transit- station in station transit- centre station node) local urban node centre station CA 700m CA 3638 no data 2449 3479 2818 2455 density (2011) (inh./sqkm) 1200m CA 2925 no data 2283 2170 1900 1429 (inh./sqkm) train offer (2019) hourly S-Train 2 1 2 3 4 4 offer (weekdays) hourly IC-Train 0 0 0 0 1 1 offer (weekdays) total hourly 2 1 2 3 5 5 train offer (weekdays) average station In 2018 486 299 952 493 991 778 frequentation: nb In 2017 209 247 986 463 904 740 of users/day In 2013 235 251 713 440 911 390 (SNCB) In 2007 283 240 955 455 965 no data Fig. 10: CLUSTER A Stations Table
Uccle and Forest are both willing to take advantage of their RER stations in term of mobility and urban strategies. “The RER is Uccle’s metro” (Didier Heymans, Uccle)409. For both Forest410 and Uccle411, the train is the fastest way to reach Brussels’ city centre because it takes time to commute with STIB transports from the South of BCR. It is also considered as a way to decrease the traffic jams in Uccle provoked by commuters from Flanders and Wallonia412. In 1997, Uccle proposed 5 “Plan particulier d’affectation du sol” (PPAS) – special local plan allowing land-use modifications for specific land redevelopments – 4 of them were located around train stations: Uccle-Stalle, Uccle-Calevoet, Moensberg and Vivier d’Oie413. But only the PPAS Vivier d’Oie was elaborated by the municipality during 2000-2006; it aimed to partially cover the new Vivier d’Oie station, densify the area and build a small park lot414. The PPAS was never validated by BCR, and the project never happened415. Now, Uccle urban
405 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 13. 406 Ibid., p. 13 & 14. 407 Ibid., p. 14 & 16. And Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 37-40. 408 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 409 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 37. 410 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 13 & 14. 411 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 37. 412 Ibid., p. 37. 413 Ibid., p. 38. 414 Ibid., p. 38-39. 415Idem. 41
development strategies are focused on Calevoet station; Uccle wanted to initiate a Contrat de Quartier Durable (CQD) “Calevoet-Bourdon”– a local urban renovation plan – but once more, the regional level did not validate it416. So, the municipality did his own Schéma de développement “Calevoet-Moensberg”417 (SD) in order to establish a clear strategy regulating the private urban development occurring in the area418. Forest is also actively willing to renovate the surroundings of its station; it will notably be the case with the Contrat de Quartier Durable (CQD) “Abbaye”, implemented for the entire St-Denis neighbourhood between 2019 and 2021419. Both municipalities collaborate with SNCB and Infrabel, they regularly try to work with them in order to improve the access and the visibility of their stations but it is not easy; stations like Forest-Est are not a priority for the train company420. “The role of the SNCB stops at the limit of the platforms of their stations, they do not really care about the renovation of the area around their stations” (Cédric Verstraeten, Forest)421.
The accessibility of the stations
Forest- Uccle- Uccle- Saint- Vivier Est Stalle Calevoet Moensberg Job d'Oie STIB Tram 2 0 1 0 1 0 Bus 2 0 2 1 1 1 De Lijn Bus 0 0 3 1 0 2 TEC Bus 0 0 1 0 0 1 Fig. 11 : Current Public transport connections (2018)
When we look at the current transport connections (fig. 11), the best-connected stations are Uccle-Calevoet and St-Job with a direct tram heading to Uccle-centre. Forest-Est benefits from its direct location in Forest-centre and its tram stations. The municipality’s strategy is to make the station more accessible from both Forest-Est bus stop and Place St-Denis. Along the CQD “Abbaye”, Forest plans to merge “Forest-Centre” and “Saint-Denis” tram halts into a single one located midway and as close as possible to the RER station (less than 200m) 422. They even brought the idea to put a screen that would display real-time S-Trains schedules at the tram stop to encourage the users to catch the S-train rather than the tram; but the SNCB did not back the idea423. The other stations are not very well connected, Uccle-Stalle is not connected at all. Vivier d’Oie remains well connected by long-distance TEC and De Lijn buses. STIB is currently improving his bus offer with its new “bus plan” which is implemented step- by-step from 2018 to 2021424. Thanks to this new plan, public transport accessibility will be improved in Forest-Est (with 2 additional bus lines) 425, Moensberg (1 additional bus line), Uccle-Calevoet (2 additional bus lines), St-Job (1 additional bus line) and Uccle-Stalle (1 new bus line). Uccle-Stalle is currently not connected by any public transports.
416 Idem. 417 Administration Communale d’Uccle, “Schéma de développement Calevoet-Moensberg”, Février 2014, http://www.uccle.be/administration/urbanisme/schema-de-developpement-calevoet-moensberg-fichier (consulted the 22/05/2019). 418 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 40. 419 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 14-15. 420Ibid., p. 14 & 16. And Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 38. 421 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 14. 422 Ibid., p. 17. 423 Idem. 424 STIB, “Plan de déploiement”, http://www.planbusstib.be/plan-de-deploiement (consulted the 22/05/2019). 425 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 17. 42
Another regional-level measure is the project to build RER vélo along the L161 and the L24. However, it will not be possible to implement it all along the two lines because of the important difference in height and the lack of space according to Mr. Heymans426. For example, it will not really possible to connect Moensberg with the RER vélo along the L161427. In Forest, the municipality has its own plan to create “Parc des 2 rives” along the railway from the Wiels cultural centre to Uccle-Stalle station428. The municipality does not want it to be a mere bicycle expressway but rather a green corridor with an active travel path for both bicycles and footers429. Forest-Est accesses will be renovated and integrated in the Parc des 2 rives, with a small square and a playground in front of the station430.
Fig. 12: Vivier d’Oie renovated and recent apartment buildings in the background (field observations, 2019)
Only Vivier d’Oie is fully renovated with all PRM access (ramps and elevators), a small park lot and a foot bridge431 (fig. 12). Beliris financed the renovation432. St-Job accessibility is going to be improved when Infrabel will entirely rebuild the road bridge located above the station433.The new bridge will have larger sidewalks and a new tram stop directly connecting the St-Job station from the bridge434. A new road “Rue du Wagon” will facilitates Uccle-Calevoet accessibility from the North, it is primarily made for the new bus lines435. Besides, SNCB recently added a new closed bicycle park lot436.
426 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 39. 427Ibid., p. 40. 428 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 16. 429Idem. 430Idem. 431 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 40. 432 Bart Timmermans – Beliris – 19/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 64. 433 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 37 & 40. 434Idem. 435 Ibid., p. 39. 436 Idem. 43
Forest-Est and Uccle-Calevoet stations could be renovated soon, Beliris proposed to take care of it437. The only station in cluster A that is not concerned by any renovation is Uccle-Stalle438. The station is poorly accessible from the Western side of the tracks, only a narrow path exits and it barely visible exists439 (fig. 13). This is why the 700m CA does not cover the Western side on the map of cluster A (fig. 8, p. 39).
Fig. 13: Uccle-Stalle platforms and the “unwelcoming and hidden access” from the Western side (field observations, 2019)
Regarding car accessibility, the SNCB proposed to build 100 new parking spaces along the access street to Forest-Est440. Forest refused it as they do not want to increase the car-use in its city centre, they prefer to encourage active travel mobility441. Other pro-car measures from the SNCB have been raised in Uccle. In Calevoet, the SNCB sold an adjacent plot several years ago to a private promoter, they agreed to dedicate one part for 60 park lots for the station442. Since then, the construction permit expired and the plot is currently used as a temporary park lot443. According to Mr. Heymans, 80 park lots are planned for the renovation along Moensberg station (see fig. 9 p. 40), but this could change with the next construction permit444.
Urban development around the stations
Three stations have proper building but they are not used for the train service anymore. Forest-Est’s building (and a piece of land along the tracks) were sold during the 1990s to a construction material company445 (see fig. 14 p. 45). A private promoter recently bought the land with the purpose to build 65 housings and 800m2 of office space; the narrow plot stands next to the tracks; so, the project could potentially compromise the station’s renovation446.
437 Bart Timmermans – Beliris – 19/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 62. 438 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 39. 439Idem. 440 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 14. 441 Idem. 442 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 39. 443Idem. 444 Ibid., p. 40. 445 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 17-18. 446Idem. 44
In Uccle-Stalle, the building is currently used by a small architecture office, there is also an old freight warehouse that will reconverted into a shop (the permit is issued) 447. Uccle-Calevoet station’s building still belongs to SNCB, Uccle projects to buy it and redevelop it, probably in a cultural and associative space448.
Fig. 14: Forest-Est park lots, station’s building and platforms (field observations, 2019)
In Forest-Centre, densification mainly occurs at the North of the station. The “Quartier Bervoets” is under redevelopment, with 1000 new housings are being built between 2015 and 2025; according to Mr. Verstraeten, it represents 2000/2500 new residents in a neighbourhood (the CQD Abbaye perimeter) with a current population of 5000/6000 inhabitants449. Along the L26 between St-Job and Vivier d’Oie, there are still some lands belonging to the SNCB that could be redeveloped in housings, like the “Vivier d’Oie PPAS” envisioned it; nothing is planned there for now450. No developments are planed next to Uccle-Stalle451. The most obvious example of densification in the CA of a station is Uccle-Calevoet. Former industrial lands are redeveloped in a mixed-used area with mainly housings; 3 projects are done, and a new one is in project452. In total, the “Calevoet-Bourdon” area will gather 500 housings, mainly apartments, office spaces, shops, a retirement home and cultural centre453 (see fig. 15 p. 46). The second step of the schema de développement (SD) will be around Moensberg station when it will be achieved, new housing will eventually be built, the land-use authorize single- family housings454. Recently, 45 social housing have been built in front of the station455. Moreover, The SD is identified by BCR as a “local strategic redevelopment areas”456. Besides densification projects, Forest has the ambition to entirely redesign the Place St-Denis and its surrounding in a more walkable space; it will become a “low-speed space” shared by cars, pedestrians, bicycles and public transports, no more sidewalks, traffic lights or zebra
447 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 40. 448 Ibid., p. 40-41. 449 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 18 450 Didier Heymans – Head of the land planning and land policies department, Uccle, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 41. 451 Ibid., p. 40. 452 Ibid., p. 40-41. 453 Idem. 454 Ibid., p. 41. 455 Idem. 456 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit.,p. 51-52. 45
crossings around the square457. The important car traffic flow coming from the highway is reoriented on the Boulevard along the car factory458. Moreover, the neighbourhood is “revitalized” with the renovation of the city hall, the reconversion of the old abbey in a permanent cultural centre, and the development of new commercial activity, notably between Place St-Denis and the station on Avenue Vanpé459.
Fig. 15: evolution of the urban developments around Uccle-Calevoet stations: on the left, situation the 30/04/2007 / on the right, situation the 5/10/2018 (Google Earth Pro)
Cluster A shows us a positive dynamic around the S-network, both in term of mobility restructuration and urban developments. The early strategy of Uccle to concentrate most of its redevelopments around train stations is a sign of the importance of the local level in term of mobility and land planning policies. Even though, their first PPAS Vivier d’Oie did not happen, a whole new neighbourhood is born around Uccle-Calevoet station. Forest most prominent strategy towards its train station is the redesign of its city centre into a walkable shared space. In parallel, Forest-Est station is under revalorization with the conversion of its park lot in a square and the green corridor Parc des 2 rives. Plus, the municipality makes a lot of efforts to improve the visibility and the access of the station. The region also plays a role with the new bus plan, the RER vélo and by subsidizing the CQD Abbaye. The only cloud on the horizon is the current lack of consideration or initiative from the SNCB regarding those stations. Their proposal to build parking spaces, regardless the density-level of the urban environment shows the SNCB does not really favour active travel accessibility. St-Job and Vivier d’Oie enjoy the status of the most frequented stations, Uccle-Calevoet succeeded to reach the same level despite the weaker frequencies. Forest-Est is a local station with a high potential thanks to its good location, Moensberg is also aimed to gain in importance after 2024. Uccle-Stalle remains the station with the least potential. Another positive point is the apparent consensus from all the stakeholders on the status of the stations and which ones should be renovated next.
457 Cédric Verstraeten – “CQD Abbaye”, Forest – 31/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 18. 458 Idem. 459 Idem. 46
2) Cluster B: North L161 & Mid L26
Fig. 16: Map of Cluster B stations
47
Cluster B current situation
Cluster B gathers 6 stations located in Ixelles, Watermael-Boitsfort and Auderghem on both L26 and L161. By far, the most important station in Cluster B is Etterbeek station, it is the 6th most frequented station in BCR460 with 6 S-Trains and 2 IC-Trains per hour during weekdays (fig. 17, p.48). The station offers many different connections, it widely used by students heading to the university, there are also several office buildings along the tracks (fig. 16, p. 47). Then come Boondael and Boitsfort stations, two “useful” stations for the Southern parts of Ixelles and Boitsfort461. Boondael is located in a residential area, its frequentation is increasing, it benefits from the good frequencies of the L26. Boitsfort station area is more mixed with housings and offices, the frequentation stagnates (fig. 17, p.48). Germoir was built in 2007 for the RER project but it only opened in 2015462, this is a “small but growing station” located in a high-density area, it is mainly used by local residents463. Watermael and Arcades are two small adjacent stations not very frequented and with a poor train offer. The density is low but Watermael local centre (Place Keym) is not far from the stations (200m) (fig. 16). The importance of Delta RER station decreased since Schuman-Josaphat tunnel opened, there are lower frequencies now as several trains go through the new tunnel464. We can see the impact on frequentation between 2013 and 2017. The presence of the metro at Delta makes it less attractive for local users, the station is actually more known as being a metro station than a S- train station.
Regarding the infrastructure works on the L161, the implementation was split in 2 sections with different impact studies and construction permits465. The first section from Schuman-Josaphat tunnel to South of Etterbeek station is over, it included the construction of Germoir station466. The second section, from Watermael station to the southern border with Flanders remain unachieved since several years467. In 2018, the works slowly resumed but new construction permits are required, it should be finished around 2025, including the renovations of Watermael and Boitsfort stations.468. The only major work on L26 was the creation of Arcades469. Watermael-Arcades and Boitsfort stations suffer from the work delays since several years. Watermael-Boitsfort stations were subject to many disagreements. First, SNCB/Infrabel were against the new Arcades station because of its proximity with Delta and Boondael; the municipality had to “fight” for it” (Myriam Brackelaire, Watermael-Boitsfort)470. Eventually, the train company had to comply to the project which were also endorsed by BCR471. They desire to create a new “Watermael-Arcades” transit-node472. Still today, Arcade station is considered as not “very useful” by the SNCB because the area has a low density and it was
460 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 48. 461 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 462 Benjamin Assouad – Urban Renovation Service, Ixelles – 14/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 89. 463 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55. 464 Ibid., p. 56. 465 Myriam Brackelaire –Mobility & Environment Service, Watermael-Boitsfort – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 29-30 466 Idem. 467 Idem. 468 Idem. 469 Idem. 470 Ibid., p. 29. 471 Idem. 472 Idem. 48
expensive to build; “Arcades was motivated by political choices” (Jean-François Geerts, SNCB)473. The SNCB does not see any potential for a “Watermael-Arcades node” because the access between the two stations is not comfortable (fig. 18, p. 50), they prefer to further develop Etterbeek station as the main local node474. According to Ms. Backelaire, Arcades bothers the SNCB in term of network exploitation, the train frequencies prove the station is underused: 1 train/hour against 5 trains/hours for Boondael; also located on L26475.
stations Germoir Etterbeek Delta Watermael- Boitsfort Boondael Arcades infrastructure Infrabel line L161 L161 L26 L161 L26 L161 L26 current state open since not not under fully under work not of the station 12/2015 renovated renovated work renovated (2025) renovated (2019)476 (2025) (open since 12/2016) SNCB indicative hierarchization local major local local stations medium- local station
(Geerts) 477 station in station station size station transit-node high- transit-node transit- density (university node urban area station) station CA 700m CA 5450 2853 3179 3100 1859 1607 density (2011) (inh./sqkm) 1200m CA 4066 2960 3338 2291 2380 1704 (inh./sqkm) train offer hourly S- 3 6 2 1 1 2 4 (2019) Train offer (weekdays) hourly IC- 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 Train offer (weekdays) total hourly 3 8 2 2 2 5 train offer (weekdays) average station In 2018 365 7536 346 185 59 855 1133 frequentation: In 2017 315 6681 299 200 43 1020 1042 nb of users/day In 2013 no data 4621 691 146 no data 660 1009 (SNCB) In 2007 no data 5565 632 172 no data 994 816 Fig. 17: CLUSTER B Stations Table
Second, Watermael-Boitsfort and SNCB struggled to find a compromise on the new design of the stations478. The municipality asked several measures and compensations that would guarantee a satisfying access to the station arguing these measures were suggested by the impact studies479. From the municipality’s point of view, “the RER project was an opportunity for the municipalities to redevelop and redesign some areas near the stations” but “Infrabel/SNCB prioritize the construction of the platforms and the tracks, the access to the stations only come after”480; “Infrabel and SNCB were not big supporters of these extra measures they had to finance” 481.
473 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 54 & 56. 474 Idem. 475 Myriam Brackelaire –Mobility & Environment Service, Watermael-Boitsfort – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 29. 476 Ibid., p. 29-30. / Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. And Benjamin Assouad – Urban Renovation Service, Ixelles – 14/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 89. 477 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 478 Myriam Brackelaire –Mobility & Environment Service, Watermael-Boitsfort – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 29. 479 Idem. 480Ibid., p. 29-30. 481 Ibid., p. 29. 49
From the SNCB/Infrabel point of view, “the municipalities can do a lot in terms of improving station’s accessibility for pedestrians and bicycles” 482. According to Mr. Detandt (former project TUC-rail project manager for the RER on L161483), “Infrabel went too far and accepted some works that were not their task especially in Watermael-Boitsfort, covering Boitsfort station did cost a lot of money”484. “Many other extra measures were asked by the municipality and the region, it increased the bill, it emptied the RER fund and now the infrastructure works are not finished”485. Besides, SNCB486 and Watermael-Boitsfort487 both agreed that cooperation was sometimes very challenging because of the high number of actors to consult.
Fig. 18: LEFT: Arcades station and Watermael in the background / RIGHT: Watermael’s unachieved platforms (field observations, 2019)
The accessibility of the stations
Today, for Watermael-Boitsfort, the most urging concern is the resumption of the works and to make sure there will be no new problems. Arcades is already fully achieved with visible signage and comfortable access (stairs and elevators)488. For the two other stations, the next renovations concerning their accessibility are merely the achievement of the works. In Watermael station, it concerns a tunnel (fig. 19, p. 51) beneath the tracks; it aims to facilitate the access from Place Keym; Infrabel was not in favour of this tunnel because “it is too far from the new platforms”489. The road in front of the station must be enlarged for the STIB buses490. In Boitsfort, the concrete slab covering the station must be finished491 (fig. 20, p. 51). Eventually, there will be an urban park with a small community garden on it, the active travel path in this new park will facilitate the access to station from the North492. The existing park lot (50 spots) will also be renovated, it is more used “as a destination park lot by the local workers than by train users493.
482 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 54. 483 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 32-33. 484 Ibid., p. 32-33 & 34. 485 Idem. 486 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 54. 487 Myriam Brackelaire –Mobility & Environment Service, Watermael-Boitsfort – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 29. 488 Ibid., p. 30. 489 Ibid., p. 29. 490 Ibid., p. 30. 491 Ibid., p. 30-31. 492 Idem. 493 Idem. 50
Fig. 19: LEFT: Front of Watermael station / RIGHT: Watermael’s unachieved tunnel (field observations, 2019)
Fig. 20: LEFT: Boitsfort unachieved concrete slab covering the station / RIGHT: Boitsfort station and its parking space (field observations, 2019)
In Ixelles, the situation is different, the works are done and there are 5 stations on its territory (Bruxelles-Luxembourg and the 4 studied stations).“There is no real strategy or general approach from the municipality regarding its train stations, but Ixelles tries to best integrate them in their urban environments and to encourage the use of the RER” (Benjamin Assouad, Ixelles)494. This means to encourage sustainable measures, public transport mobility, a good access to the stations, and preferably densify around the main transport hubs495. Ixelles regularly collaborates with the SNCB but “it is hard to be heard from a National-wide actor that is not always aware of the local situation”496. “But since 2015, the SNCB pays more attention to its small stations in BCR, it is an opportunity for the municipalities to implement
494 Benjamin Assouad – Urban Renovation Service, Ixelles – 14/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 88. 495 Idem. 496 Idem. 51
complementary measures497”. Like Arcades, Germoir station is also fully achieved with stairs and an elevator, it is well-connected with STIB transports498. In Boondael, new PRM access ramps have been built, but the platform was not fully renovated yet499. According, to the RER cell it will soon be the case because the frequentation keeps increasing500.
Fig. 21: LEFT: Germoir station (fully renovated) RIGHT: Boondael station (platforms not renovated) (field observations, 2019)
The other stations are concerned by the RER vélo. The existing bicycle path following the L161 tracks from Bruxelles-Luxembourg station will be extended southwards to Germoir station; it is going to be financed by Beliris501. The long-term vision is to extend it to Etterbeek station and ideally to connect it to the other RER vélo projected itinerary along the L26502. Etterbeek is already a highly frequented multimodal node with many transport lines (STIB, De Lijn and TEC) and new bicycle paths along Boulevard Général Jacques503. However, the station does not have any PRM access like elevators; Ixelles pushes for the construction of a new footbridge connecting the platforms with elevators that would also provide a more direct access to the university campus and to Avenue de la Couronne (a small plot currently used as a park lot is reserved for this purpose)504. The SNCB RER cell also pushes for the construction of the same footbridge and an active travel path along the tracks that would directly connect the station to the new Hospital “CHIREC”505 (see fig. 22, p. 53). According to Mr. Geerts, the realization of this footbridge is a “20-year-old project” 506.
497 Idem. 498 Ibid., p. 89. 499 Idem. 500 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 54 501 Benjamin Assouad – Urban Renovation Service, Ixelles – 14/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 89. 502 Idem. 503 Idem. 504 Idem. 505 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55. 506 Idem. 52
Fig. 22: Etterbeek station in the background. Office buildings on the right. Right to the tracks: space available for the new projected bicycle path between the station and the CHIREC hospital (field observations, 2019)
Urban development around the stations
Delta is part to a major regional urban redevelopment plan, the “PAD Delta-Herrmann- Debroux” 507 (see fig. 16, p. 47); the first draft bill has been approved by BCR the 16th May 2019508. The main focus of the project is the reconversion of the “Herrmann-Debroux” highway corridor into an “urban boulevard” with more space for active travels and public transports509. Delta station will benefit from the creation of a new network of active travel paths connecting the station with the new urban boulevard, the hospital and the future L26 RER vélo510. On the other hand, car accessibility is going to decrease because the Delta P+R will be removed511.
The RER vélo projects and the new PAD offer very complementary measures in term active travel developments. It would create a wide biycle path network connecting Germoir, Etterbeek, Delta, Boondael and Watermael-Arcades stations. We can also notice that all the involved actors agree on the same vision without necessarily having collaborated much. Finally, when we look at the new STIB bus plan, it does not change much the situation in cluster B as this area of Brussels is already well covered by the STIB network512. There will be 1 additional bus connection for the three most important stations of the cluster: Etterbeek, Boondael and Boitsfort. When we look at the urban development dynamics, the major project is the PAD “Delta-Herrmann-Debroux”. The surroundings of the station will be densified with mixed-used buildings hosting housings, offices and commercial activities513. The redevelopments will be located on the current Delta P+R along Avenue de Beaulieu (fig. 23, p. 54), between the station and the hospital, and behind the hospital in the “Delta triangle” 514.
507 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit.,p. 45-46. 508 FARR, Arnaud, “Voici les projets pour le site Herrmann-Debroux après la démolition du viaduc”, La Libre, 16 mai 2019, https://www.lalibre.be/regions/bruxelles/voici-les-projets-pour-le-site-herrmann-debroux-apres-la-demolition-du-viaduc-5cdd8101d8ad5806f15ba073 (consulted the 23/05/2019). 509 Milène Deneubourg – Strategy Department, Perspective.Brussels – 13/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 66. 510 Ibid., p. 68-69. 511 Idem. 512 STIB, “Plan de déploiement”, http://www.planbusstib.be/plan-de-deploiement (consulted the 22/05/2019). 513 Milène Deneubourg – Strategy Department, Perspective.Brussels – 13/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 70. 514 Ibid., p. 68, 70 & 71. 53
Fig. 23: Visual of the future developments on Avenue de Beaulieu (Before/After), Perspective.Brussels (2018)515
The second important plan is the PAD “Etterbeek & Ixelles Caserns” (see fig. 16, p. 47). It consists of converting a former police casern in a new campus for the universities516. The site will host student housings, university facilities, and also family housings517. The campus will be car-free with a central square and a large closed bicycle park lot518. Besides, more student housings are being built along Avenue de la Couronne519. Ixelles works with ULB and VUB universities to improve the accessibility between the different campuses, and Etterbeek station is seen as the natural central hub of the whole university district520.
The other stations are subject to smaller redevelopments. Germoir area is already a high- density neighbourhood but, like Forest-Est, it is subject to “urban revitalization”. The current CQD “Maelbeek” plans to create 40 new housings, new public amenities and services in the area521 (see fig. 16, p. 47). In the outer parts of the cluster, the most important densification happened in the vicinity of Boondael station with several new apartment buildings (fig. 24, p. 55), the last project in Ixelles added 316 new apartments522. Close to the station is located the largest available piece of land in Ixelles, but there are no plans to build on it for the moment, it is a green area with an ecological interest523.For Mr. Geerts, these densifications partially explain the increasing frequentation of the station524. Around Boitsfort station, the land-use plan in was modified several years ago, it allows to build more housings and public amenities such as a school525. It also authorizes the construction of housings and offices above the station’s park lot, the park lot is owned by the SNCB (see fig.
515 Perspective.Brussels, “Plan d’Aménagement directeur, réunion d’information et de participation”, Bureau bruxellois de la planification / Brussels Planningsbureau, Perspective.Brussels Département Statégie, juin 2018, http://perspective.brussels/sites/default/files/poles/ppt_herrmann-debroux.pdf (consulted the 13/02/2019), p. 53-54. 516 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit.,p. 46-47 & 48. 517 Benjamin Assouad – Urban Renovation Service, Ixelles – 14/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 90. 518 Idem. 519 Idem. 520 Ibid., p. 89. 521 Ibid., p. 90. 522 Idem. 523 Idem. 524Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 56. 525 Myriam Brackelaire –Mobility & Environment Service, Watermael-Boitsfort – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 31. 54
20, p. 51)526. Legally, everything is made for a new urban development around the station, but it will not occur before the station is achieved; Boitsfort perimeter is designated by BCR as “local strategic redevelopment area” (PRDD) 527.
Fig. 24: Recent housing developments next to Boondael station (field observations, 2019)
Cluster B offers a mixed situation of the S-network. On one hand, some cases express the greatest limits of the RER project. The Watermael-Boitsfort stations are negatively impacted by the delays and the coordination issues. Their perpetual under work state have weakened their frequentations528. Thus, the redevelopment of Boitsfort station area is pending. Arcades really symbolizes the difficulties for the stakeholders to agree on a common vision for the RER network. On the other hand, some recent urban development projects really try to best integrate the RER stations. The areas encompassing Etterbeek and Delta station will soon face major changes, and all the involved actors tend to have converging objectives. The “Delta-Herrmann-Debroux” PAD will considerably transform the Southeast entrance of BCR, Delta station will probably benefit from it, although the Schuman-Josaphat tunnel reduced its importance. Besides, the PAD relies primarily on a metro corridor. Etterbeek status of “6th largest station in BCR” will probably be reinforced with the development of the university district. Germoir and Boondael stations are local but progressively growing stations.
526 Idem. 527 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit.,p. 51-52. 528 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 55
2) Cluster C: North L26
Fig. 25: Map of Cluster C stations
56
Cluster C current situation
Cluster C gathers 6 stations of the L26, located in Brussels-City, Evere, Schaerbeek and Etterbeek. The most important station of the cluster is Bordet, with the best frequencies and the highest frequentation (fig. 26). It also has the advantage to be connected to Brussels National Airport by IC-train529. It is located next to Leopold III Avenue with many tram and buses connections (STIB and De Lijn).
stations Merode Meiser Evere Bordet Haren & Haren- Sud infrastructure Infrabel line L26 L26 L26 L26 L26 L36 current state not partially future renovation renovated recently renovated of the station renovated renovated (2019)530 SNCB indicative hierarchization local local local station in an major transit- local node 531 (J-F. Geerts) station "intermediate" “under node for the station redevelopment” North of BCR area station CA 700m CA 6888 3386 2640 1562 2196 density (2011) (inh./sqkm) 1200m CA 6190 3449 2242 1303 1506 (inh./sqkm) train offer hourly S-Train 2 5 5 5 3 2 (2019) offer (weekdays) hourly IC- 0 0 0 2 0 0 Train offer (weekdays) total hourly 2 5 5 7 5 train offer (weekdays) average station In 2018 504 772 684 1409 251 576 frequentation: In 2017 536 599 562 1300 229 450 nb of users/day In 2013 1209 452 419 672 247 397 (SNCB) In 2007 1317 487 645 773 317 209 Fig. 26: CLUSTER C Stations Table
Two other medium-size stations are Evere and Meiser. Evere station is located next to Evere city centre and also next to Leopold III Avenue. Meiser is a local but important station, when the train offer increased in 2017, the frequentation was immediately boosted532. Meiser is not very visible and accessible because it is located in an embankment533. Generally speaking, L26 stations have a satisfying train offer with at least 5 trains/hour except for Merode and Haren stations. The underground Merode station shares similar features with Delta, it is also connected to the metro network, it is not very visible and the station became less important with the opening of Schumann-Josaphat tunnel534. Merode is located in a high-density neighbourhood, but the station is more known for being a metro station. Haren has a certain local importance, it forms a local key node with its neighbouring Haren-Sud station on the L36; the stations are distant of 200 meters535.
529 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 56. 530 Idem. / Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 27. And Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 20-21. 531 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 56. 532 Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 51-52. 533 Bart Timmermans – Beliris – 19/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 63. 534 Idem. 535 Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 27. 57
Haren/Haren-Sud is located in a low-density peripheral neighbourhood of Brussels-city which is isolated from the rest of BCR because of the big infrastructures like the railway yard “Schaerbeek-Formation”, the canal industrial area and a large STIB depot536.
The accessibility of the stations
Bordet, Meiser and Haren/Haren-Sud stations have been renovated537 (fig. 27 & 28). At the time of the high-speed rail works, two new tracks were added to the L36538. The SNCB had to renovate Haren-Sud and Haren as a compensation, they finally made those renovations: “The SNCB took a lot of time to do it” 539. For Meiser, the SNCB renovated the platforms and Beliris should take care to the accesses soon540. In Evere, the platforms will be realigned in order to better integrate the station in the “Evere-Josaphat” project541. Although, the L26 did not face any major infrastructure works for the RER project, the platforms of several stations like Meiser, Boondael and Arcades are too short for the rolling stock dedicated to the S-network; thus, less performing train are still used for this line542. In some cases, it is almost impossible to extend the platforms, like in Meiser because the station is stuck between two bridges543. Concerning public transport accessibility, the STIB bus plan will add one new bus connection for all stations except Merode, which is already very well connected; and Haren station which is not directly connected by any public transports544. STIB closed the tram halt at Meiser station “because it is too close to Meiser square tram stop” 545. STIB prefer to keep all its public transport connections on Meiser square546. This choice drastically decreases the station’s accessibility and visibility.
Fig. 27: LEFT: Haren station and its brand-new footbridge in 2019547 / RIGHT: Haren-Sud station in 2017548
536 Ibid., p. 27 & 28. 537 Bart Timmermans – Beliris – 19/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 62. 538 Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 27. 539 Idem. 540 Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 20-21. 541 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 56. 542 Ibid., p. 52-53. 543 Idem. 544 STIB, “Plan de déploiement”, http://www.planbusstib.be/plan-de-deploiement (consulted the 22/05/2019). 545 Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 20-21. 546 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 49. 547 Wikipedia, "Haren”, 2019, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Haren#/media/File:Gare_de_Haren_-_Nouvelle_passerelle_-_2019-04-22.jpg (consulted the 02/06/2018). 548 Wikipedia, "Haren Zuid station met stoptrein”, 2017, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Haren-Sud#/media/File:Haren_Zuid_station_2017_1.jpg (consulted the 02/06/2018). 58
In 2013, Brussels-City did a “schéma directeur” for Haren neighbourhood, it is a guideline plan for the future development of the area549. Since then, Brussels-City tries to redevelop Haren/Haren-Sud into a multimodal hub; last SNCB renovations contributed to it with the construction of an active travel bridge above Haren in order to connect it with Haren- Sud550. Haren/Haren-Sud is made to be used by the local residents and the people working to NATO’s new headquarter or in the industrial area along Chaussée de Haecht551. Several rural pathways of Haren are maintained and reassigned for active travel transit, the RER vélo will go through the neighbourhood and it will be connected to the bicycle pathways in Flanders552. From Haren, the RER vélo will follow the L26, connect Bordet and Evere553 but not Meiser554. Regarding car accessibility, BCR thinks to build a large P+R next to Bordet station along the metro 3 project, the new metro line would connect Bordet to Bruxelles-Nord station for 2030- 2031555.
Fig. 28: LEFT: Bordet station in 2017556 / RIGHT: Meiser station in 2015557
Urban development around the stations
In term of urban planning strategy, the Haren schéma directeur tries to best integrate the rapid demographic growth of the neighbourhood by allowing high-density apartment buildings around Haren/Haren-Sud node558. On one hand, it is a way to concentrate the new redevelopments around a public transport node; on the other hand, it aims to preserve low- density and semi-rural landscapes in the rest of the neighbourhood 559. The municipality tries to limit the appetite of the real estate promoters attracted by the large and cheap lands available in Haren560. Brussels-City intends to moderate this trend whereas BCR often sees Haren as a good
549 Ville de Bruxelles, “Schéma directeur Haren”, 2013, https://www.bruxelles.be/plans-et-reglements (consulted the 10/06/2018). 550 Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 27. 551 Idem. 552 Ibid., p. 28. 553 Idem. 554 Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 20-21. 555 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 48. 556 Wikipedia, "Gare de Bordet (dans la région de Bruxelles-Capitale), le 29 avril 2017”, 2017, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Bordet#/media/File:Gare_de_Bordet_(03).jpg (consulted the 02/06/2018). 557 Wikipedia, "Station Meiser”, 2015, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Meiser#/media/File:Station_Meiser_I.jpg (consulted the 02/06/2018). 558 Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 28. 559 Idem. 560 Idem. 59
implantation site for space-demanding infrastructures that are not suited in the city like a STIB depot or a prison561. The fate of these stations is then very undecided and it will depend on the future development of Haren. The neighbourhood is submitted to a strong land competition with different dynamics: densification, industrialization and the attempt to preserve the lands562.
BCR has three projects along the Northern section of L26 (see fig. 25, p. 56). First, the “Pole Reyers” PAD that consists of the renovation of Meiser square and the redevelopment of the RTBF-VRT headquarters site, this project is called “Media Park” 563. Second, the Josaphat neighbourhood built around Evere station564. Third, the redevelopment of the ex-NATO headquarter site565. The proximity of Meiser station with “Pôle Reyers” could be a good opportunity to integrate the S-Network with an urban development, but the perimeter of the project stops at Meiser square, the station is not included in the redevelopment566. BCR prefers to rely on the STIB network and Meiser square to connect the new Media Park567.
Evere station area is subject to the construction of a whole new mixed-used neighbourhood which will host 1585 new housings, only apartment buildings, 500-600 of them will be directly adjacent to Evere station568. This project is located on a 35ha area which used to be a railway yard and a former freight station “Josaphat”, in Evere and Schaerbeek569. The freight activities ceased during the 1990s, the land was abandoned, and eventually BCR bought it to the SNCB as it became a strategic valuable land570. It is a project led by the regional level, it is implemented by the regional Société d’aménagement urbain (SAU), the municipalities do not play a major role571. SNCB/Infrabel take care of the realignment of the platforms of Evere station in order to relocate the station in the heart of the new neighbourhood572. Beliris and the SAU have the task to renovates its accesses573. The station is going to be the central transit- node for the neighbourhood574. The development heavily relies on it, even though there are currently no guarantees from Infrabel/SNCB that the station will be renovated on time575. The first construction permit for the neighbourhood should be delivered for 2020/2021 and the entire construction could take roughly 10 years576. Regarding accessibility, the station will be accessible from the North and the South with stairs, ramps and elevators; the southern footbridge will directly connect the station with the new neighbourhood577. At the Northern access, a plaza will be built with shops, a hotel, a car park lot and bicycle park lot578. Moreover, the entire neighbourhood will favour active travel mobility, a park will be created in the middle of the site along the tracks, with the RER vélo crossing it579. The space for cars will be limited
561 Idem. 562 Idem. 563 Région Bruxelles-Capitale, “Plan Régional de Développement Durable (PRDD)”, op. cit.,, p. 35. 564 Ibid., p. 36-37. 565 Ibid., p. 40. 566 Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 21. 567 Kevin Lebrun – Strategy Direction, Bruxelles Mobilité – 30/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 49. 568 Marie Vanhamme – SAU Evere-Josaphat project – 14/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 61. 569 Ibid., p. 57. 570 Idem. 571Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 20-21. 572 Marie Vanhamme – SAU Evere-Josaphat project – 14/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 57. 573 Idem. 574 Idem. 575Benoît Velghe – Mobility Department, Schaerbeek, in Interview Summaries, p. 20-21. 576 Idem. 577 Marie Vanhamme – SAU Evere-Josaphat project – 14/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 59. 578 Idem. 579 Ibid., p. 60. 60
with 0,7 parking spot per housing and a few additional street park lots nearby the shops and offices580. The neighbourhood will be cut in two parts by the tracks, 3 active travel bridges aim to connect the two parts, one of them will provide access to station581. The neighbourhood is composed of 4 sections with a high degree of mixity582: - A mixed-used neighbourhood around the station with housings, offices, shops and a hotel. - On the East side, the already existing industrial area will be preserved and renovated. - On the Southeast, the sport complex will also be maintained and extended. - On the Westside, the largest residential area with a school and other public amenity.
Fig. 29: Aerial view of Josaphat site before the project583 Fig. 30: Suggested map of the project584
In the long run, Bordet transit-hub will be reinforced with the new metro line and its surroundings will be subject to two different PADs: one for the ex-NATO-headquarter and another one for the station’s surroundings585. “Bordet is particularly interesting because of the metro and the large quantity of available spaces for densification” 586. It could potentially threaten the industrial activities located North of the station on Chaussée de Haecht according to Ms. Jadot (Brussels-City)587. On a larger-scale, BCR envisions to create an “International Boulevard” between the European quarter and Brussels National Airport along Leopold III Boulevard (fig. 31, p. 62)588. The goal is to create an urban axis relying on the implantation of international institutions and any related activities589. This vision incorporates different projects like “Pole Reyers”, Evere-Josaphat neighbourhood, Bordet and NATO590. The hotel and offices present in Evere-Josaphat project are already built under the perspective to host activities
580 Idem. 581 Idem. 582 Ibid., p. 60-61. 583 Perspective.Brussels, “Josaphat”, http://perspective.brussels/fr/projets/poles-strategiques/josaphat (consulted the 20/03/2019). 584SAU-MSI Brussels, “Josaphat”, http://www.sau.brussels/fr/developpements/josaphat (consulted the 20/03/2019). 585Milène Deneubourg – Strategy Department, Perspective.Brussels – 13/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 64-65. 586Idem. 587 Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 28. 588 Idem. 589 Idem. 590 Idem. 61
related to international institutions591. All these projects around Bordet are only ideas for now. The North-East L26 corridor could potentially become a key component of this “International Boulevard” as it follows the same axis from the Airport to the European quarter via Schuman- Josaphat tunnel.
Fig. 31: The “International Boulevard Vision” (Perspective.Brussels)592
Evere-Josaphat project is undoubtedly the best example of TOD in Brussels. The new neighbourhood is built around Evere station, active travels are privileged and the degree of mixity and density are consequent. Bordet will also be at the centre of further redevelopments. The “International Boulevard” project,which is only a prospective vision from now, could really rely on the S-network as a backbone for TOD. It is too early to identify whether the RER will influence the shape of these future developments in the North of Brussels. Other mobility measures like the metro 3 or the P+R in Bordet could also influence the design of the developments. If Evere-Josaphat project is a success, it could inspire other similar developments. Generally speaking, there is an important potential to conduct TOD around Bordet and the Northeast L26 corridor. As nothing is acted for Bordet, the fate of the area can vary consequently to the next decisions. In short, it depends if Bordet would be seen rather as an “entrance point of BCR” or rather as “urban pole” with a train station connected to the metro593. The idea of a large P+R connected to a metro station seems to follow the first scenario; the advent of a new PAD and the development of the L26 could help to lead to the second scenario594. Meiser and Haren/Haren-Sud are not included in the current large-scale regional blueprints at the moment, but they could be indirectly impacted.
591 Marie Vanhamme – SAU Evere-Josaphat project – 14/12/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 61. 592 Perspective.Brussels, “Plan d’aménagemetn Directeur Bordet – Réunion d’information et de participation”, perspective.brussels/sites/default/files/documents/bordet_reunionpub.pdf (consulted the 27/05/2019), p. 41. 593 Caroline Jadot – Planning Cell, Urbanism Department, Brussels-City – 14/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 28. 594 Idem. 62
4) Cluster D: South L124
Fig. 32: Map of Cluster D stations
63
Cluster D current situation
Clusters D and E bring us in Wallonia. It is a different urban context, the Walloon Brabant is in the periphery. Car and public transports accessibility to the stations are likely to be more important factors than active travel accessibility because of the suburban landscape. In Wallonia, the S-Train is meant to be a suburban offer for the workers commuting daily to BCR. The L124 in Wallonia gathers 4 stations, one in Waterloo, two in Braine-l’Alleud and one in Nivelles. Another one, Braine-Alliance is already built but it will only open when the infrastructure works will be achieved on this section, so after 2025595. Braine-l’Alleud is the most populated city of the Walloon Brabant. Nivelles and Waterloo are also substantial middle- size cities; Waterloo in the close periphery, Nivelles in the far periphery. Braine-l’Alleud station have been fully renovated between 2007 and 2012596. The section from Waterloo-Braine-l’Alleud (and Waterloo station) will be normally achieved in 2025; the second section Lillois-Nivelles in 2029597. Lillois is currently under renovation; and Nivelles station has already been partially renovated, the access to the platforms, the bus stations and the P+R are finished598. However, the train frequencies on the L124 could only be fully met when the section in Flanders (Linkebeek-De Hoek) will be finished around 2031599.
stations Waterloo Braine- Braine- Lillois Nivelles l'Alleud Alliance infrastructure Infrabel line L124 L124 L124 L124 L124 current state future fully New station under Partly renovated of the reconstruction reconstructed in (open in renovation (finished in station (2024-2025) 2012 2025) 2029) (2019) SNCB indicative hierarchization major train major train future local local station major train (J-F. Geerts)600 station (S- station (IC & S- station station (IC & S- trains) trains) trains) station CA 700m CA 15102 12287 N/A 12226 12161 density (2011) (inh./sqkm) 1200m CA 7684 12919 N/A 4710 7130 (inh./sqkm) train offer hourly S- 3 3 N/A 2 2 (2019) Train offer (weekdays) hourly IC- 1 3 N/A 1 3 Train offer (weekdays) total hourly 4 6 N/A 3 5 train offer (weekdays) average station In 2018 2202 5618 N/A 569 4589 frequentation: In 2017 2155 5696 N/A 612 4268 nb of users/day In 2013 1902 no data N/A no data 4540 (SNCB) In 2007 2023 no data N/A no data 4548 Fig. 33: Cluster D Stations Table
595 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 42. 596 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 34-35. 597 INFRABEL, “Le chantier RER est officiellement relancé sur la ligne 124 – 28/02/2018”, https://www.infrabel.be/fr/RER-L124 consulted the 13/05/2019). 598 INFRABEL, “Chantier RER à Nivelles Centre : Mise à Quatre voies”, https://www.infrabel.be/fr/riverains/chantier-rer-nivelles-centre-mise-quatre-voies (consulted the 25/05/2019). 599 INFRABEL, “Le chantier RER est officiellement relancé sur la ligne 124 – 28/02/2018”, https://www.infrabel.be/fr/RER-L124 consulted the 13/05/2019). 600 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 64
The most important stations in term of train frequencies and frequentation are Braine- l’Alleud and Nivelles. The S-Trains play a less important role, especially for Nivelles which has more IC-Trains than S-Trains. Nivelles is the most distant municipality in Wallonia which is included in Brussels S-network; the faster IC-Trains are then more widely used than the S- trains. For both stations, the IC-Train offer is way more attractive, the commuters prefer to reach those stations in order to catch direct trains for Brussels city centre601. Therefore, the S- Network has a limited impact on these two stations. Historically Braine-l’Alleud grew around its train station, it is older than the former City hall (on Grand Place Baudoin 1er), it is a central point for the municipality602. Waterloo station is the third most important station of the L124, the station is not too far from the municipality’s city-centre (1 km). Lillois is a locality of Braine-l’Alleud, its small station is mainly used by the local residents603. Lillois’ renovation will be minimalist with only a small local park lot, the station’s building will be removed to let space for the tracks604. Another new RER station was considered, halfway between Waterloo and Braine-l’Alleud stations on Chaussée de Bara, the so-called “Bara station” 605. The project is not on the table anymore but Infrabel keeps ownership over the required lands, for the prospect to open it in the future606. According to Mr. Detandt (ex-TUC rail and Braine-l’Alleud Alderman), the SNCB studied the potentiality of the new station and they came to the conclusion it would not attract more users; it would only reorientate some regular users of Waterloo and Braine-l’Alleud stations607. SNCB also tries to limit the multiplication of stations; it decreases the train’s commercial speed608. Waterloo was in favour of this new station, but SNCB and Braine- l’Alleud favoured the creation of Braine-Alliance instead (see fig. 32, p. 63)609. Braine- l’Alleud is developing a new neighbourhood there610. The preserved land for Bara station is in Braine-l’Alleud, the station could become interesting if new housings are built there611.
Fig. 34: LEFT: Lillois station prior the destruction of the building (2017)612 / RIGHT: Nivelles unachieved platforms (2018)613
601 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 34-35. 602 Ibid., p. 34 603 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 604 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 36. 605 Idem. 606 Idem. 607 Idem. 608 Idem. 609 Cédric Tumelaire – Alderman, Waterloo – 04/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 81. 610 Idem. 611 Idem. 612 La Capitale, “La Key Card à Lillois, « un risque pour l’équilibre du village »”, L’Actu du BW, 28/06/2017, https://brabant- wallon.lacapitale.be/97641/article/2017-06-28/la-key-card-lillois-un-risque-pour-lequilibre-du-village (consulted the 02/06/2019). 613 PADOAN, Bernard, “Les travaux RER pas finis avant 2031: retour sur 15 ans de galère”, Le Soir, 10/01/2018, https://plus.lesoir.be/133300/article/2018-01- 10/les-travaux-du-rer-pas-finis-avant-2031-retour-sur-15-ans-de-galere (consulted the 02/06/2019). 65
The accessibility of the stations
The renovations of Braine-l’Alleud and Nivelles stations were mainly focused on car and public transport accessibility. New bus stations have been built for regional TEC bus lines614. Moreover, Braine-l’Alleud has free a shuttle “TEC Proxibus” (2 shuttles/hour) connecting the station to the city centre, Lillois and “Parc de l’Alliance” 615. The bridge above Braine-l’Alleud was enlarged with a new concrete slab, space is provided for buildings on it in order to create an urban continuity along the street616. At one point, the municipality thought to establish its public administration there but they eventually decided to move it in the “Parc de l’Alliance” neighbourhood617. Today, there is nothing built on the concrete slab, the Northern side is currently used as a park lot (3 hours max.) managed by the municipality (Braine-l’Alleud rents the plot from Infrabel) 618. In Nivelles there is large P+R with a capacity for 725 cars along the station619; in Braine- l’Alleud, there are 2 P+R (422 and 490 spots), all P+R are managed by B-Parking (a firm owned by SNCB)620. One is an underground P+R beneath the bus stations and the other one is located at the Northeast of the station; they both benefit from a direct access to the platforms621.
Fig. 35: Braine l’Alleud station bus stops and the underground P+R access (field observations, 2018 & 2019)
At first, Wallonia desired to build these P+R next to the new planned Braine-Alliance station because it is very close to the highway leading to Brussels622. The mayor of Braine- l’Alleud and the SNCB preferred to build them in the city centre’s station, they made the choice to concentrate all the intermodal infrastructures in one large station623. The interest for the municipality was to stimulate the commercial activities of the city centre by attracting the commuters there; while the SNCB preferred to improve the car accessibility of a station which
614 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 34-35. 615 Idem. 616 Idem. 617 Idem. 618 Idem. 619 SNCB, “Nivelles”, https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/station-information/car-or-bike-at-station/b-parking/my-b-parking/nivelles (consulted the 25/05/2019). 620 SNCB, “Braine-l’Alleud”, https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/station-information/car-or-bike-at-station/b-parking/my-b-parking/braine-alleud (consulted the 25/05/2019). 621 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 35. 622 Idem. 623 Idem. 66
had an IC-Train offer, only S-Trains will stop at Braine-Alliance624. To ensure a good access to the P+R, Infrabel built a new road (and a bicycle path) along the railway connecting Braine- l’Alleud station to the highway via “Parc de l’Alliance” (see fig. 35, p. 67) 625. Like the P+R, these infrastructures have been financed by the RER fund, so it was a great opportunity for Braine-l’Alleud626. Today, the two P+R of Braine-l’Alleud are saturated, the fares are attractive (30€/months, 1,50€ per workday) but the generated profit do not compensate the investment costs, and barely the operating costs according to Mr. Detandt627. For Mr. Detandt, new P+R next to Braine-Alliance could be built in the future if the demand exists628. For Mr. Geerts (RER Cell, SNCB), Braine-Alliance will be a local station only, it will not succeed to attract drivers from the highway, these commuters would rather prefer to go directly to Braine-l’Alleud station and its IC-Train offer thanks to the brand-new road629. According to Ms. Wouters (Railway Cell, Wallonia), the Braine-l’Alleud station is very car- oriented, space for pedestrians and bicyclists is limited, and it harms “the urban centre” atmosphere of the municipality630. According to Ms. Wouters, Braine-l’Alleud station could actually be renovated again in the coming years as the frequentation regularly increase631.
Fig. 36: LEFT: Braine l’Alleud station 2nd P+R RIGHT: The new road (and bicycle path) connecting the highway to the Braine l’Alleud station along the railway (field observations, 2018)
Contrary to Braine-l’Alleud, Waterloo is not renovated yet, a first construction was delivered but the works never started and it expired632. According to Mr. Tumelaire (Waterloo), SNCB was pressed to acquire a new construction permit to ensure the works will start on time633. Between the two permits, the project is not the same anymore, it is less ambitious because the SNCB’s budget is limited634. Mr. Tumelaire was rather critical regarding some aspects of the new proposed project, the SNCB missed to address some accessibility issues in
624 Ibid., p. 35-36. 625 Ibid., p. 35. 626 Idem. 627 Idem. 628 Ibid., p. 35-36. 629 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 630 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 44. 631 Ibid., p. 42. 632 Cédric Tumelaire – Alderman, Waterloo – 04/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 80. 633 Idem. 634 Idem. 67
their design635. On one hand, Waterloo inserted many remarks and demands to the permit for the implementation of additional measures that would improve “accessibility for the people coming by walk, by bicycle, by taxi (Kiss & Ride), by bus or for the PRM”; many of these demands were asked by the consulted residents636. On the other hand, the SNCB tries to avoid the multiplication of extra-costs. According to the architect (Eurogare) who designed the station: “the project of Waterloo new station respects the budget limitations requirements” and “it prefigures the identity of the new RER stations”637. Among the improvements demanded by Waterloo there was: closed bicycle park lots, some arrangements for the PRM, and also the redesign of the tunnel beneath the tracks so it could be used for the transiting bicyclists, and not only for the people catching the trains638. The new construction permit was delivered the 16/04/2019 and it included most of the demands of Waterloo639. Besides, Waterloo is creating a bicycle path northward along the tracks, it will merge with another project of bicycle path in Sint-Genesius-Rode (Flanders) and will then be indirectly connected to the RER vélo of BCR640. Waterloo wanted to better connect the path to the station with a wooden bridge above a road, but SNCB refused641. There are currently two free park lots on each side of the railway, and they both will converted in B-Parking paid park lots with the same capacity than today642. Some Braine-l’Alleud residents prefer to catch the train in Waterloo because parking is free, “the park lots are always full” 643. Waterloo station is connected by two free shuttles “TEC Proxibus” lines transiting all around the city; the station is not connected to any other TEC line644.
Fig. 37: Waterloo stations and its current free park lot (field observations, 2019)
635 Cédric Tumelaire – Alderman, Waterloo – 04/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 80-81. 636 Idem. 637 DE VOGELAERE, Jean-Philippe, “La gare de Waterloo va créer l’identité des futures gares RER”, Le Soir, 29/03/2019, https://www.lesoir.be/148306/article/2018-03-29/la-gare-de-waterloo-va-creer-lidentite-des-futures-gares-rer (consulted the 16/04/2019). 638 Cédric Tumelaire – Alderman, Waterloo – 04/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 81-82. 639 Ibid., p. 85. 640 Ibid., p. 82. 641 Idem. 642Ibid., p. 82. 643 Idem. 644 Ibid., p. 83. 68
Urban development around the stations
In term of urban growth, Waterloo does not have many available lands, there are only two areas645. One near the highway and next to the new European school, they intend to develop more cultural and sport facilities there (see “educational and cultural pole” on fig. 32, p. 63)646. The second area is at the Northwest of the Waterloo station, a private promoter plans to build housings there, and a school could move there as well (see “Allée du triage zone” on fig. 32, p. 63)647. Moreover, on the East side of the station, there is a small industrial area with warehouses that Waterloo would like to redevelop once the station is achieved648. For now, the main current focus is the renovation of the city centre which is subject to a new master plan (fig. 32, p. 63); one of the objectives is to make the centre more walkable and less pressured by the car flow on Chaussée de Bruxelles (the main street)649.
Contrary to Waterloo, Braine-l’Alleud has large areas of available lands like around the site of the potential Bara station or in “Parc de l’Alliance” 650. The main large-scale development is “Parc de l’Alliance”: the municipal administration, several office buildings and a cinema are settled in the new neighbourhood651. Now, apartment buildings are under construction, in total 700 new housings will be created652. In term of accessibility, it is “easily accessible from the highway, from Braine-l’Alleud station with the Proxibus or via the bicycle path”653. According to Mr. Geerts, the new neighbourhood is not built around the newcoming Braine-Alliance station, it is closer to the highway with a car-oriented design654. The space is not mixed either, housings and offices are strictly separated (see fig. 38, p. 70). Mr. Frenay shares the same point of view: “Braine-Alliance is not located at the centre of the new neighbourhood but at the edge” 655. For him, Braine-l’Alleud missed the opportunity to create a new centrality around Braine- l’Alleud station with the idea to establish the administration on the concrete slab, they decided to move nearby the highway instead, “this new location favours accessibility by car” 656.
645 Ibid., p. 84. 646 Idem. 647 Idem. 648 Idem. 649 Idem. 650 Ibid., p. 81 & 84. 651 Henri Detandt – Alderman, Braine-l’Alleud & former TUC-Rail engineer – 15/11/2018, in Interview Summaries, p. 35-36. 652 Idem. 653 Idem.. 654 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55-56. 655 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 12. 656 Idem. 69
Fig. 38: TOP LEFT: Braine-Alliance station’s platforms / TOP RIGHT: The adjacent “Parc de l’Alliance” in construction BOTTOM LEFT: First “Parc de l’Alliance” housings separated from Braine-Alliance by a field / BOTTOM RIGHT: The car-oriented business park of “Parc de l’Alliance” (field observations, 2018)
There are no TOD examples in cluster D. The case of Braine-l’Alleud shows how a car- oriented development of its central station was preferred by the municipality while Wallonia desired to build the P+R as close as possible from the highway. The SNCB and Infrabel supported the municipality’s stance because it corresponded more to its own interest to concentrate the train offer in Braine-l’Alleud main station. The P+R and road infrastructures were financed via the RER fund. This decision favours car accessibility to the station rather than active travel or densification projects. Moreover, the yet to be open Braine-Alliance station becomes less relevant as it was firstly dedicated to become a P+R station. It is meant to become a low-frequented station adjacent to a car-oriented neighbourhood. The choice to favour the IC- Trains and Braine-l’Alleud station over the S-trains also played a role. The case of Waterloo proves that SNCB/Infrabel are under pressure to finish the project on time and without overexpenditures. Consequently, the measures regarding active travel accessibility are often neglected by the train company.
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5) Cluster E: South L161
Fig. 39: Map of Cluster E stations
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Cluster E current situation
Cluster E can be divided in two different part: first, the two stations of Ottiginies- Louvain-la-Neuve (OLLN) respectively Ottignies and Louvain-la-Neuve. Both are located in the main urban centre of Walloon Brabant: the pole “Wavre-OLLN” 657. Second, the 4 other stations: La Hulpe, Genval, Rixensart and Profondsart which are located along a “secondary urban centre” of Walloon Brabant: “La Hulpe-Rixensart”658.
stations La Genval Rixensart Profondsart Ottignies Louvain- Hulpe la-Neuve infrastructure Infrabel line L161 L161 L161 L161 L161 L161D current state under under under work under work future no of the station work work reconstruction renovation (2019) (after 2027) SNCB indicative hierarchization medium- medium- medium- local station major train medium- (J-F. Geerts) 659 size size statio size station station (IC & size station station S-trains) (University station) station CA 700m CA 4472 2755 3695 1520 3184 5154 density (2011) (inh./sqkm) 1200m CA 2750 1998 2334 1696 2024 2990 (inh./sqkm) train offer hourly S- 2 2 2 1 6 3 (2019) Train offer (weekdays) hourly IC- 0 0 0 0 3 0 Train offer (weekdays) total hourly 2 2 2 1 9 3 train offer (weekdays) average station In 2018 1108 1308 1291 162 20152 6170 frequentation: In 2017 1415 1668 1643 204 22567 5780 nb of users/day In 2013 1510 no data no data no data no data no data (SNCB)) In 2007 1536 no data no data no data no data no data Fig. 40: Cluster E Stations Table
Ottignies station is the busiest station of Wallonia with more than 20,000 daily users660, and by far the busiest one of the Province. Historically, Ottignies was an isolated small station, but its strategic location on the crossroad of L161, L139 and L140661 made it an important hub for freight and passenger transit662. Ottignies became de facto a hub with an important train offer; according to Ms. Wouters it is an example where the development of the offer created the demand663. The station kept growing and was first renovated during 1995-1999 but “quickly after the opening, the building was already too small for the flow of passenger”664. The important frequentation is due to the high number of connections with the rest of Belgium, and notably the connection with Louvain-la-Neuve and its university665. Louvain-la-Neuve is a dead-end station on L161D, which makes it very dependent from Ottignies station in term of connection. The station is in the heart of Louvain-la-Neuve, a new planned city from the 70s
657 Pierre Francis – Environment & Land Developmment Service, Walloon Brabant - 24/10/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 1-2. 658 Idem. 659 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 55. 660 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, p. 73-74. 661Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 45. 662 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries p. 73-74. 663Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 45. 664 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries p. 73-74. 665 Idem. 72
mainly hosting a major university campus. According to Mr. Frenay, the centrality of the station and the pedestrianized environment of Louvain-la-Neuve do not make it a TOD666. It is a two- floor city with roads and park lots beneath the city, and the city has been built nearby two highways, so “the city is easily reachable by car”667. La Hulpe, Genval and Rixensart share similar features, they all are middle-size stations in two suburban middle-size cities (La Hulpe and Rixensart) with low-density and surrounded by green landscapes. Profondsart is the smallest station with few inhabitants around668. It has the weakest train offer of the S-Network in Wallonia. The S-train frequencies are weaker on L161 than on L124 because there are more IC-Trains. Contrary to the L124, only one station is connected by IC-train on this corridor: Ottignies. It also explains the important frequentation of the station. The works for doubling the tracks on L161 in Wallonia should be achieved around 2027-2028. Ottignies is the only station were the civil engineering work must be done, this means to add new tracks and to shift all the platforms669. After 2027, Ottignies will be entirely renovated because it is currently underdimensioned670. The other stations on L161 are not totally achieved either671, the priority for Infrabel is to add the tracks and then complete the renovation of the stations672.
The accessibility of the stations
In Genval and Rixensart, the new stations are massive infrastructures with P+R and concrete slabs, the former bridges above the railway were replaced by larger spaces with squares on it673. In Rixensart, the station was moved under the concrete slab; it is now completely covered with a large square above it674. Thanks to to that, the station is now more centrally located; the square regularly hosts the market of Rixensart675. The bus stops are also located on the square676.
666 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 10-11. 667 Idem. 668 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 46. 669 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries p. 72. 670 Ibid., p. 72 & 73-74. 671 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 42. 672 Idem. 673 Valentin Werren – Mobility Advisor, Rixensart – 06/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 86-87. 674 Ibid., p. 87. 675 Ibid., p. 87-88. 676 Idem. 73
In La Hulpe, Rixensart and Genval stations, Infrabel still needs to build the elevator, and other equipments like ticket machines or shelters677. In Genval, all the area in front of the station must be done678. It involves the bus station, the Kiss & Ride (K&R) 679. According to the expired contruction permit, Infrabel was supposed to build these infrastructures; now the TEC will be in charge of the bus station and the municipality of the K&R680.
Fig. 42: Rixensart station, platforms & new square above it.
All stations except Profondsart are connected by TEC buses, Ottignies station and Louvain-la-Neuve are important bus hubs. However, Louvain-la-Neuve central bus station is not adjacent to the train station, its relocation is currently under debate (OLLN is elaborating a new local moblity plan for Louvain-la-Neuve)681. La Hulpe, Genval and Rixensart are connected to the surrounding neighbourhoods by free TEC proxibus shuttles682. Rixensart is evaluating the impact of the shuttles, and wonders whether it should stay free or not683. For bicycles, there are few infrastructures, Rixensart plans to build small closed bicycle park lots for each of its station684. Ottignies already has a significant closed bicycle park lot685 (see fig. infra).. OLLN stations will be better connected by bicycle paths, it is part of the regional program “Wallonie cyclable”686.
Likewise, all stations except Profondsart have P+R, all managed by B-Parking. La Hulpe P+R has a capacity of 396 cars687, Genval 542 cars688. In Rixensart, there are two P+R, one for 141 cars and the second for 115 cars689. The largest ones are in Ottignies and Louvain- la-Neuve. Ottignies has two B-parking P+R: the “Villas” for 335 cars and “Droits de l’Homme” for 420 cars, plus two other “unofficial but tolerated” free park lots on municipal lands with an
677 Ibid., p. 86-87. 678 Ibid., p. 86. 679 Idem. 680 Idem. 681 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries p. 78. 682 Valentin Werren – Mobility Advisor, Rixensart – 06/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 86-87. 683 Idem. 684 Idem. 685 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries p. 76. 686 Ibid., p. 76 & 78. 687 SNCB, “La Hulpe”, https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/station-information/car-or-bike-at-station/b-parking/my-b-parking/la-hulpe (consulted the 25/05/2019). 688 SNCB, “Genval”, https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/station-information/car-or-bike-at-station/b-parking/my-b-parking/genval (consulted the 25/05/2019). 689 SNCB, “Rixensart”, https://www.belgiantrain.be/fr/station-information/car-or-bike-at-station/b-parking/my-b-parking/rixensart (consulted the 25/05/2019). 74
estimated capacity of 300-400 cars690. Since, the commuters need to pay to park, the municipalities had to restrict street parking around their stations (2 or 3 hours maximum)691. The drivers try to avoid to pay for parking, so they go to the cheapest one and not the closest one; for example, some residents of Ottignies or Rixensart drive to Profondsart to catch the S- train because it is free692. Or other people prefer to catch the free shuttle, “this means the price heavily influence the traveller’s behaviour, even in predominantly middle-class municipalities”693.
Fig. 43: LEFT: Genval P+R and the unfinished space in front of the station (future bus station and K&R) RIGHT: Rixensart P+R (P2)
Fig. 44: Ottignies station’s unfofficial park lots (left) & bicycle park lots (right)
The most recent B-Parking P+R is in Louvain-la-Neuve, it opened in 2017694. It has a capacity of roughly 3200 spots, almost 2500 are dedicated to the station’s P+R, the rest is allocated for other purpose (residents, workers)695. Next to the highway, it is aimed to be used by the cars commuting to Brussels. Since early 2019, a direct access road between the P+R and
690 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 77. 691Valentin Werren – Mobility Advisor, Rixensart – 06/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 86. And Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 77. 692 Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 46. 693 Idem. 694 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries p. 78. 695 Idem. 75
the highway is under construction696. According to Mr. Frenay, the P+R cost 61 million euros and it is currently underused with only 60-80 cars per day697. For Mr. Geerts (RER cell, SNCB): “This P+R was motivated by real estate development logics […], it was decided by OLLN, Wallonia and real estate promoters”698. The commuters have no interest to stop at Louvain-la-Neuve because it has an omnibus S-Train offer only; they prefer either to drive all the way to Brussels or to catch a direct IC-Train at Ottignies; “The P+R of Louvain-la-Neuve was not the best idea”699. The Walloon Railway Cell did a study on Ottignies station in 2013, they found out that some inhabitants living close to Louvain-la-Neuve station were also going to Ottignies station by car to catch IC-Trains700. The result is one empty P+R in Louvain-la-Neuve, two saturated ones in Ottignies with a strong demand to build new ones there; Ms Wouters thinks all this situation is “absurd”701. “The people should use the closest station from their home and avoid to use their car when it is possible”702, and the drivers coming from the highway should stop at the nearest P+R in Louvain-la-Neuve, not in Ottignies703. Ms. Wouters thinks the behaviours of the commuters should be steered by several measures like the harmonization of the parking fares704; and the promotion of the new P+R as well as the train offer of Louvain-la-Neuve station (4 train/hour during peak hours)705. Both Wallonia and OLLN municipality are strongly in favour of a better train offer for Louvain- la-Neuve, with a faster semi-direct train going to Brussels, “this is the only way to compete with the cars”706. For now, the SNCB is not willing to do so, it is hardly feasible as long as the infrastructure works are not finished707. According to Mr. Calbergh (OLLN), the P+R was desired by all the involved actors, SNCB included708. The municipality and Wallonia see Ottignies and Louvain-la-Neuve as interdependent and complementary stations whereas the SNCB see them as separate entities without the same function709. The region and SNCB do not share the same vision and it clearly hinders the intermodal potentiality of the S-Network.
Urban development around the stations
In Rixensart, the largest urban development is located nearby Genval station on former industrial lands “Les Papeteries de Genval”. It is now a mixed-use area with apartment buildings and shops710. It contributes to the densification of the
696 Idem. 697 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex, p. 10-11. 698 Jean-François Geerts –RER Cell, SNCB, in Interview Summaries, p. 54. 699 Idem. 700Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 45. 701 Idem. 702 Idem. 703 Ibid., p. 46. 704 Idem. 705Idem. 706 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 73 & 78. 707 Idem. 708 Ibid., p. 73. 709 Idem And Daphné Wouters – Railway Cell, Wallonia – 29/11/2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 46. 710 Valentin Werren – Mobility Advisor, Rixensart – 06/03/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 88. 76
area with 225 new housings and 132 others under construction711; however, the design let a lot of space for cars with a central parking space for the shops in the middle. Next to Rixensart station, 45 apartments were recently built712. There are almost no available lands left in Rixensart, only one large plot where new housings are likely to appear but it is far from the stations713. This is why Rixensart recently modified its land-use planning in order to allow denser housings around the two train stations714.
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve is demographically more dynamic and several redevelopments are programmed. Most of the available buildable lands in OLLN are located around Louvain-la-Neuve715. The municipality recently modified the land-use of agricultural and forest areas in order to allow the expansion of the scientific park and other activities like a hospital716 (see fig. 39, p. 71). In the North of Louvain-la-Neuve, an additional residential area is under construction; all these developments are very likely to be car-oriented as it is adjacent to the highway717. Closer to the centre of Louvain-la-Neuve, 450 new housings and 8,000 m2 of offices are going to be built above the P+R718, it explains the “real estate development logic” of the parking project mentioned by Mr. Geerts.
Fig. 46: Ottignies station’s current building (left) & P+R “Droits de l’Homme” (right)
The other major area where new construction will occur in OLLN is around Ottignies station719. The study on Ottignies conducted by the region estimated that 38% of the users come to the station by walk, 2-3% by bicycle, 16-18% by bus, 14% by “taxi” (K&R) and 25% by car (P+R)720. This means that the station is more used by proximity residents than long-distance commuters. According to another study (SPF), the two P+R of Ottignies cover 85% of the total space used by the stations’ “access infrastructures”721. Moreover, the SPF points out there is a
711 Idem. 712 Idem. 713 Ibid., p. 87-88. 714 Ibid., p. 87. 715 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 78. 716 Idem. 717 Idem. 718 Ibid., p. 79-80. 719 Ibid., p. 75. 720 Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Infrabel, SNCB stations & Eurogare, “Gare d’Ottignies – Etude d’orientation”, juin 2014, www.olln.be/documents/docs/pdf/gare-ottignies-etude-orientation.pdf (consulted the 12/04/2019), p. 18. 721 JOIRIS, Cristel, “Faut-il plus de parkings à la gare d’Ottignies ?”, L’Avenir, 11/03/2017, https://www.lavenir.net/cnt/dmf20170310_00971778/faut-il-plus-de- parkings-a-la-gare-d-ottignies (consulted the 26/05/2019). 77
great opportunity in the redevelopment the lands occupied by the P+R722. Indeed, the idea is on the table since several years. OLLN, Wallonia and SNCB elaborated together a master plan in 2013723. According to the master plan, a bigger station building would be built above the tracks, and several piece of land, including the existing park lots will be redeveloped into mixed used areas (1,000 housings, 14,000 m2 of commercial activities and 35,000 m2 of office space)724. The master plan also envisions to close the crossing level with L139 and enlarge the central plaza with more space for the buses and a bigger bicycle park lot725. This would create a whole new neighbourhood around the station with no more car transit in front of the station. The P+R will be maintained; the idea is to reconstruct them in multi-level park lots to free some space for the redevelopments726. The SNCB owns the lands where the P+R are located727, it is then an opportunity for the train company to make real estate promotion. The plan suggests the two new P+R should have a total capacity for 1600 cars, which is the double than the current situation728. The master plan is just a prospective vision of what could be done, nothing is acted yet, the project could turn out to be different. For instance, some more economical measures are currently discussed, like maintaining the station’s building and enlarge it instead or rebuilding a new one729. Nevertheless, the details of the master plan give us an idea of the land planning strategy around Ottignies.
Like in Watermael-Boitsfort, the stations of the Northern section of cluster E suffer from the delays. The S-Train frequencies are weak and many works must be achieved. For now, the RER project has a limited impact on urban planning. La Hulpe and Rixensart municipalities do not support a TOD strategy, urban developments are not particularly located near the stations. In OLLN, the urban developments are more consequent. The main area of urban expansion is around Louvain-la-Neuve and next to the highway, it demonstrates there is not particular will to compact the city around its transit-node. However, Ottignies station, will be subject to a large-scale urban development. It is undoubtedly the largest one related to the RER project in Wallonia. In this case, the SNCB plays a more active role beyond the station because it owns the valuable lands to be redeveloped. As declared the former OLLN mayor in 2016: “The SNCB sits on a gold mine”730. As one of the busiest stations in Belgium, Ottignies offers great potential for profitable projects and it is incomparable with the situation of the other smaller RER stations. Although it will generate an entire new neighbourhood, car accessibility is likely to remain important with large P+R to the detriment of the other transport modes. Another big contribution from cluster E analysis, is the mismanagement around the P+R of Louvain-la- Neuve. It is a clear example on how opposed strategies limit the potential of the RER project. In Cluster E, the design of all stations favour car accessibility with large P+R to the detriment of other transport modes, particularly active travel.
722 Idem. 723 Benoît Van Calbergh – Cartography Departement, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve – 27/02/2019, in Interview Summaries, p. 75. 724 Ibid., p. 78. 725 Ibid., p. 75-76. 726 Ibid., p. 76-78. 727 Ibid., p. 78. 728 Ibid., p. 77-78. 729 Ibid., p. 78. 730 DE VOGELAERE, Jean-Philippe, “L’UCL présente son nouveau quartier”, Le Soir, 26/09/2016, https://www.lesoir.be/art/1324751/article/actualite/regions/brabant-wallon/2016-09-23/l-ucl-presente-son-nouveau-quartier (consulted the 16/04/2019).
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6) Comparisons between the corridors and the regions
A comparison between the three corridors (L26, L161 and L124)
For the moment, the three corridors do not have the same S-Train offers. The L26 has the best offer, it already meets the 4 train/hour objective in most of its stations. The only exceptions are stations in the central section: Arcades, Delta and Merode. On one hand, the Schuman-Josaphat tunnel weakened the frequencies for those stations: on the other hand, it reinforced the situation of the Northern section from Meiser to Haren. The L161 have the weakest S-Train offer, 2/hour at almost all stations. As long as the works are not done, the train offer is concentrated in Etterbeek and Ottignie stations. The L124 faces the same issue, but the train offer is more evenly distributed between the stations, and between the S-Train and IC-Trains. The variation of the train offer has an influence on urban planning. The largest urban development projects tend to be concentrated around the largest S-Network nodes like Ottignies, Etterbeek or Bordet. However, the L26 is subject to more disseminated local projects, like Boondael, Vivier d’Oie or Evere. The “International Boulevard” strategy confirms the will from BCR to focus on new developments along the Northern L26. The L26 (except for its central section), clearly has the best opportunities for TOD at the moment. One of the reasons is that L26 did not have to face major infrastructure works to have better frequencies. L161 and L124 are less subject to urban developments in both BCR and Wallonia because of the work delays. This could change when train frequencies will be increased on those two lines, Boitsfort station area is already meant to be developed once the station is fully achieved.
A comparison between the regions
In BCR, the regional level and several municipalities seek to better integrate the RER stations in their urban planning and mobility plans. Already in 1997, Uccle sought to concentrate its urban growth around its train stations. The densification around Uccle-Calevoet is a strong case of redevelopment relying on the presence of a RER station. However, the design is not particularly transit-oriented despite the centrality of the station. The best example of land-use and transit integration is unarguably the Evere-Josaphat redevelopment. This project is the only identified case of new-built TOD around a S-Network station. In Wallonia, there is no convincing case of developments integrated to the S-Network, except for the future renovation of Ottignies. Even though, there are some local strategies to progressively densify around transit-nodes, like in Rixensart; most of the current developments do not happen along any strong public transport networks. This is notably the case in Louvain- la-Neuve and in Braine-l’Alleud.(Parc de l’Alliance). In both regions, the local level tends to care more about the visibility and the active travel accessibility of the stations than the SNCB, like in Forest, Watermael-Boitsfort or Waterloo. Several stations in BCR are located in high-density neighbourhoods, some offer a great potential for converting their surrounding in more Transit-Oriented environments. The case of Forest-Est and St-Denis neighbourhood is the most explicit example where the municipality tries to valorise its station with better accesses, and to improve walkability in the local city
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centre. Germoir and Meiser are two others station with a good potential. The municipalities play a key role in the impact of the RER stations renovations, they deliver the construction permit so their particular point of views influence the result. Some municipalities rather support active accessibility like Watermael-Boitsfort, others rather support car-accessibility like Braine-l’Alleud. Various cases have shown SNCB’s preference for car accessibility. A few examples like in Forest-Est showed it is also the case in BCR. However, the train company starts to have a growing interest in intra-urban transport and actively works on the visibility and the accessibility of its network. Some renovations occur on a case-by-case pace with the help of Beliris, the municipalities and other regional actors. In Wallonia, the investments regarding the surroundings of the stations clearly favoured car accessibility with the construction of massive P+R. According to Mr. Frenay, the SNCB privileged car accessibility because it is part of its “core-activity” via the firm B-Parking, even though it is not profitable731. Although both Wallonia and SNCB supported this strategy, they developed opposed views on how to implement it. We can see that in the similar situations of OLLN and Braine-l’Alleud. In both cases, Wallonia envisioned to build P+R as close as possible from highways (in Louvain- la-Neuve and in Braine-Alliance); while the SNCB favoured P+R next to larger hubs with an IC-Train offer (respectively Ottignies and Braine-l’Alleud stations). The outcomes turned out to be different. In Braine-l’Alleud the municipality followed the SNCB’s point of view and the P+R were built in Braine-l’Alleud. In OLLN, the municipality shared the idea of a P+R in Louvain-la-Neuve. But in both cases, the results lead to not very useful infrastructures: an empty P+R in Louvain-la-Neuve and a future Braine-Alliance station without any P+R whereas it stands next to a highway and a car-oriented neighbourhood. Of course, these infrastructures could become relevant in the future when the S-Trains frequency goals will be met. But if car- oriented logic keeps going in Wallonia, it is likely to see the capacities of the P+R in Ottignies to be effectively extended. This strategy corresponds more to a Transit-Adjacent Development (TAD) strategy. The multiplication of P+R in central areas like Braine-l’Alleud or Ottignies reduces the possibility to implement TOD. The effects of the RER are very different in the two regions. TOD logics start to rise in BCR, and this development model is also applied on the S- Network. In Walloon Brabant, TAD remains the dominating model.
731 Patrick Frenay - Independent Town planning and mobility expert - 30/10-2018, in Interview Summaries Annex: p. 11-12. 80
V] General Conclusion
The present master thesis reported the current state of Brussels’ suburban train network and its impact on urban planning and mobility regarding several stations. The first part of the analysis highlighted the main limits of the S-Network for becoming a structuring transport network in Brussels-Capital-Region (BCR) and in Walloon Brabant. It also presented the positions of several main RER project actors. The second part of the analysis reviewed the particular situation of 29 stations of the S-Network. For each station, the analysis focused on the dynamic of the Node-Place characteristics and on the role of the local decision-making level.
Based on the studied cases, we can conclude the RER project has rather a limited impact on urban development but several upcoming projects start to be implemented along some stations. The limited impact can be essentially explained by the absence of clear and unique strategy or roadmap for the project from the highest decision levels. It is particularly true regarding the potential redevelopments of the stations. In Belgium, the decision-making process is very fragmented and many actors are involved in the project. The inauguration of the S-Network in 2015 and the resumption of the infrastructure works in 2018, provided a new momentum for the project. New local or regional projects begin to appear. From the Federal-State to the municipalities, a large number of actors have somehow their say in the project. Every decision is subject to negotiations, this results in very various situations in term land-use and transit integration along the RER stations. Two major elements influence the current and future potential impact of each station: the present train offer; and the regional land planning and mobility policies. In some cases, the positions of the SNCB and the municipalities were also determinant. The SNCB still tends to prioritize major stations and to neglect smaller ones. The train company often favours access by car with large park lots over other more sustainable modes of transport to access the stations. The municipalities usually try to compensate the lack of active travel accessibility with complementary renovations.
On overall, it is in BCR that most urban of developments are occurring along RER stations. The L26 and more particularly its Northern section is subject to several regional or local development plans. The fact that the L26 already has an attractive train offer partially explains this trend. Evere is probably the first case of new-built TOD happening around a local S-Network station. Otherwise, this is mainly large stations with the best train offers that are subject to developments plans. The only notable exception is Uccle-Calevoet densification. It is a local initiative of densification around a transit-node but it is not really a case of TOD. The strategic location of Northern L26 corridor between the European Quarter and Brussels National Airport offers currently the greatest potential for TOD along a RER corridor. The case study also brought us some situations where some neighbourhoods are progressively more integrated to the local RER station without any new urban developments. Forest-Est is probably the most explicit case.
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Conversely, many other cases, in both regions, were not subject to particular attempt to integrate the stations to their environments. Several stations on L161 from Watermael to Profondsart still suffer from the work delays with semi-finished stations and weak train frequencies. At present, their potential for TOD is very limited.
BCR and Wallonia developed completely different visions regarding the integration of the S-Network in their territories. On one hand, Brussels-Capital region is developing strategies to concentrate urban growth along transit-nodes, a Transit-Oriented Development logic is growing. Although it is first aimed to rely on the regional STIB network, some projects also integrate S-Network stations. By the addition of many different measures from different actors, The RER in BCR slowly starts to be more integrated to the intra-urban transport network. However, it is too early to know whether it will remain a secondary transport mode for BCR internal mobility. For a long time, the SNCB did not prioritize BCR’s local stations. But since the S-Network is effectively operating, all the involved stakeholders’ views slowly start to converge and they work more actively together to improve the visibility and accessibility of the stations. These two intertwined dynamics progressively help the RER Network to become a more structuring transport network for BCR. The main limit to this trend is the uncompleted integration of services and fares between the different transport companies, it limits the ridership rate within BCR. On the other hand, Wallonia rather developed a Transit-Adjacent Development logic along the S-Network with the construction of large P+R at almost all stations. Unlike BCR, all Walloon stations on L124 or L161 had to be renovated, and some are not yet achieved. The SNCB plays an active role in this strategy, it owns and manage the P+R via its firm B-Parking. In the suburban environment of Walloon Brabant, car-accessibility was prioritized to the detriment of other transport modes, especially active travel accessibility. This strategy was also implemented for stations located in important urban centres like Braine-l’Alleud or Ottignies. This is where the P+R are the largest. The analysis of the current urban developments in the municipalities along the S-Network showed no evidence of shifting trends in term of development strategy. There are some minor densification developments close to certain stations, but the largest ones are car-oriented, next to highways and far from train stations. The current weak frequencies and the never-ending delays did not incite the region and the municipalities to structure their developments along the train stations. The past choices of favouring P+R also represent a barrier by maintaining car-dependency. Although, awareness for the development of alternative transport modes in the region is rising, the municipalities located in S-Network corridors remain mostly structured around its road infrastructures. The impact of Brussels’ suburban train network on urban development is as varied than the positions of each actors involved in the decision making-process.
The RER still has many different challenges to tackle like the budget limitations, the integration of transport services, the IC-Train/S-Train cohabitation, or the underlying problem of the North-South junction saturation. The recent dynamic around several RER stations in BCR could stimulate the process of integration of transport services for the RER zone. It is one of the original objectives of the 2003 RER Convention and it is a key element for improving the ridership of the network. Another important objective of the Convention is the
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implementation of “accompanying measures” like the development of intermodality. We noticed the RER fund essentially financed car-train intermodality infrastructures, notably in Wallonia. The RER budget could ideally take more into account the infrastructures required for multimodality and for active travel accessibility; this would also enhance the S-Network for potential new Transit-Oriented Developments.
This study was an attempt to provide an update on the situation of the RER and on the evolution of the positions of all the main stakeholders, except for Flanders. It also tried to assess the main barriers and opportunities for structuring urban development around it. The collection of the views from different levels of decision-making also enlightened us on their relations, convergences and conflict of interests. It showed that the coordination issues are still vivid despite the resumption of the works. The case-study illustrated the direct consequences of it on the field. It could be relevant to complement this study with the analysis of other Brussels’ RER corridors notably in Flanders, where the situation could be different. It can also be interesting to study the impact of the S-Network on the mobility behaviours. The analysis of qualitative data from interviews can be a good way to complement a Node- Place quantitative analysis. Indeed, it allows us to grasp all the stakes around a certain station and to assess how its Node characteristics or Place characteristics are evolving through time.
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Annex: Compilation of the Interview Summaries
Please consult the annex via the other document:
MUS_C1_2019_SCHWENGLER_David_appendixes
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