Commuting by car to Brussels: Insights from theories of practice

The Brussels metropolitan area is one of the most congested areas in Europe every working day, despite alternatives to mobility by means of a car converging on the capital. The article draws on social practice theories to examine the practice of commuting by car to the Brussels Region. The aim is to describe the origins of the commuting and understand the current situation. The constitution of the practice since the 19th century is outlined, with emphasis on its components: the expansion of urban sprawl, favoured by public housing policies, the development of roads and highways, and a specific fiscal scheme for company cars. The empirical data comprise in-depth interviews held namely with beneficiaries of a company car. Comparison of two types of automobility – commuting by private car or company car – reveals differences in the material arrangements, rules, and understandings, whereas values associated with car use are reinforced when driving a company car. Also, the latter is closely bundled with other practices that help to explain the entrenchment of company cars in the practice of commuting by car to Brussels. The authors conclude that, as illustrated by the company-car system, it is important to include rules and procedures in mobility studies.