Understanding affordable mobility in the Netherlands

Understanding affordable mobility in the Netherlands

The Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM) has published an exploratory report on the affordability of mobility in the Netherlands. It analyses aspects including mobility prices, household transport expenditure and the difficulties some groups face in paying for their journeys. The study emphasises that there is no single definition of affordable mobility, but offers several methods for measuring and understanding affordability.

🔍 Key insights:

• Affordability problems: The research finds that one in ten Dutch residents struggles to pay for mobility. This particularly affects people on low incomes, single-parent families and unemployed people. They sometimes have to spend more on transport than they can afford, or cut other expenditure to pay for their journeys. Some also report missing activities such as family visits or hospital appointments because they cannot afford to travel there.
• Mobility expenditure: Households spend an average of 14% of their income on mobility. Most of this goes on private vehicles, including fuel, maintenance and insurance. Spending on public transport and other forms of mobility is relatively lower.
• Price increases: Transport prices rose by almost 30% between 2015 and 2023, slightly above general inflation of 26%. This includes the prices of cars, fuel and air travel, while public transport and bicycle prices, including electric bicycles, rose less sharply. The steep increase in fuel prices in 2022 directly reflected geopolitical developments such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but was eased somewhat in 2023 by fuel duty reductions.
• Impact on everyday life: Between 1% and 5.5% of Dutch adults say that transport costs sometimes prevent them from taking part in certain activities. This particularly affects family visits and medical appointments, potentially leading to social exclusion and other problems.

The KiM report provides valuable insights into mobility affordability and its associated challenges. It highlights the importance of targeted measures to keep mobility accessible and affordable for everyone.

📄 Read the full KiM report here KiM brochure on affordable mobility