Vilvoorde’s city council is giving negative advice to the plans to redevelop the Brussels Ring Road. Mayor Hans Bonte (Vooruit) is unhappy about the heavy mobility and environmental impact of the works on the city and the region. Several ecological and mobility organizations also side against the plans of the Flemish government.

At the end of March, the Flemish government presented plans to redevelop the Brussels Ring Road. Those plans include a Regional Spatial Implementation Plan (GRUP) to facilitate the works on the Ring. That plan provides for many zoning changes on the territory of the city of Vilvoorde. The town has now issued negative advice on that draft plan.

More fine dust and noise pollution

The city council fears that the plans will cause an increase in fine dust and noise pollution. The Koningslo neighborhood, near the viaduct, would be particularly hard hit, according to the city. “Whereas in Antwerp, the Oosterweel project aims to tackle mobility problems by covering up major traffic arteries to create high-quality green space, this does not seem to be the case in our region,” it says.

Nor does the city think it is acceptable that several areas next to the Four Fountains area and the Forges de Clabecq site will be reclassified as site zones. “Those neighborhoods, where housing is currently being built, risk being reclassified as a construction site zone over the next 20 years and attract a massive number of trucks,” Bonte says.

The mayor also denounced that the comments had previously been submitted to the relevant authorities. One of them is De Werkvennootschap, the government organization that draws up the plans for the Flemish government and rebuilds the Ring Road. “We first delivered a positive opinion with conditions, but they refused to respond to a series of fundamental comments,” said Bonte.

Alternatives not sufficiently examined

Several environmental and mobility organizations also took sides against the plans to extend the Brussels Ring Road. According to them, alternative scenarios that could ensure less traffic pollution and better air quality were insufficiently examined.

“It seems as if Flanders only sees additional concrete as a solution for the Brussels Ring Road,” says Marie Desrousseaux of Bond Beter Leefmilieu. “It is incomprehensible that the alternative scenario with a kilometer charge and an ambitious modal shift was not thoroughly investigated.”

Several organizations, such as the Netwerk Duurzame Mobiliteit, point out that additional lanes will not solve the congestion problem but only attract more traffic – look at the ever-increasing traffic jams. “The Flemish Region’s plan is at odds with the Brussels Region’s strategy to reduce car use,” believes Damien Delaunois of Inter-Environnement Brussels. There are also fears about the impact of the additional nitrogen emissions on several nearby nature reserves, such as the Laarbeek and Floordam forests.

Additional lanes

Under the Flemish government’s plans for the Brussels Ring Road redesign, there would be additional lanes in both directions over a 12-kilometer stretch between Asse and Machelen.

There will be a parallel structure in the area around Zaventem: road users must choose between the through road or parallel ring road at the major junctions. In other places, slip roads will be modified. There will also be additional bicycle connections.

Constructive opposition from Brussels

Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) maintains her “constructive opposition” to the widening of the Brussels Ring Road. “Every additional lane means more traffic jams to and in Brussels in the medium term. Without guarantees that this will not be the case here, we continue to defend the non-widening of the Ring Road,” she says.

According to the Minister, “a widening is also at odds with the climate commitments of our two regions. It will also negatively impact air quality and, therefore, the quality of life and health of Brussels residents.”

An and-and story, says Flanders

For her Flemish colleague, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), it is an about an and-and story. “It is a question of give and take. It cannot be that we would invest fully in projects that the Brussels Capital Region likes and cannot invest in projects whose added value is on the Flemish territory.”

The Environment Department will now analyze all objections and opinions submitted and adjust the plan where necessary. After advice from the Council of State, it will return to the Flemish government for a final determination of the GRUP.

De Werkvennootschap hopes to apply for an environmental permit in the first half of 2024.