One in ten Dutch struggling to afford transport

One in ten adult Netherlands residents struggle to afford transport, from fuel for a car or scooter to a ticket for the train. They have difficulty paying for their journey, spend more money on transport than they can afford, or cut back on other expenses to pay for their transport.

A small group of anywhere from 1 to 5.5 percent of Dutch adults even skip attending functions they might otherwise like to visit, like family gatherings, because they cannot afford to travel to the location, according to a study by the Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM). The government-backed independent think tank provides research and expertise for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

"Ten percent of the adult inhabitants of the Netherlands experience problems paying for their transport," according to KiM. "These are often people with a low income, single people with children, and the unemployed. They have difficulty paying for their journey, spend more money on transport than they can afford or cut back on other household expenses in order to pay for their transport."

Many people in these groups have already adjusted their travel behavior due to their tight wallets. Such restrictions on their mobility can impact their participation in society, and KiM advised the government to target any cost-alleviating measures on these groups.

"On average, households spend 14 percent of their income on mobility. Flying and fossil fuels for vehicles have increased in price in recent years, while other transport price developments are more in line with general price developments."

In the past eight years, average transport prices have increased by 30 percent—slightly more than inflation in that period. Prices vary per mode of transport. Fuel for fossil fuel cars increased significantly, public transport tickets and bicycle costs less so. On average, households in the Netherlands spend around 14 percent of their budget on mobility.

One issue facing policymakers is that there is not one single definition that clarifies the distinction between affordable and unaffordable mobility. This requires researchers to take into account a myriad of factors, including transportation fares, pricing developments, and household expenditure.