Altered traffic plan in central Brussels to remain after winter festivities

Brussels-City council has introduced new traffic regulations in the centre of the city. The changes are initially intended to cope with extra traffic for the Winter holiday market and related activities, but parts of the changes will be maintained after Winterpret, as part of the council’s new traffic management plan.

As of Wednesday, Avenue Emile Jacqmain will be one-way inbound, while the parallel Boulevard Adolphe Max (pictured) will be one-way outbound. Rue Laeken is closed to traffic from outside the centre. To allow traffic to switch from Avenue Jacqmain to L'avenue Adolphe Max, Rue Saint-Michel near Place de Brouckère changes direction.

“The change of direction is required to help traffic flow better and to make public car parks more easily accessible,” said Els Ampe, alderwoman for mobility. “Through traffic on Rue Laeken will also be reduced.”

Bus traffic is also affected. The terminus of line 47 to Vilvoorde moves from Place de Brouckère to Place de l'Yser, although the bus will still stop at Place de Brouckère. The terminus of bus 88 to Heizel moves to Rue des Augustins. Some De Lijn buses will change their route slightly. For cyclists, nothing of the present situation changes.

In related news, public transport authority STIB/MIVB said it would lay on more trams and buses over the coming two weekends before Christmas as well as January 3 and 4 for the start of the sales. The main lines concerned are trams 3 and 4 and buses 34, 71 and 89.

photo by Raf24/Wikimedia