Hundreds of complaints about street racing around Atomium

Citizens' platform Stop Rodeo Atomium held its second "pyjama protest" against street racers over the weekend, saying they have recorded more than 200 complaints about the nightly nuisance in just the past six weeks.

The collective is calling on the City of Brussels to take action against the people who race through the streets surrounding the Atomium, usually in rented cars and often to create content for social media platforms.

“The only measure that has worked so far, the night-time closure of the Heysel plateau with a police presence, dates back to June 2021 and lasted only three weeks,” the collective said in a statement.

More recently, police carried out an operation last Friday and Saturday, seizing three vehicles and charging their drivers with reckless driving.

In addition to the three judicial seizures, four other vehicles were seized by the authorities during the operation.

The police department said that this type of action is part of a sustained crackdown to ensure the safety of road users, especially in the area surrounding the Atomium where street racing has become popular.

In an effort to combat the issue, the Stop Rodeo Atomium collective created its own digital platform called the Counting Rodeo Initiative, which allows residents to report incidents.

Since 1 May, the collective has received more than 200 complaints via this reporting tool.

“This shows how much the nuisance affects daily life in the neighbourhood,” the collective said.

The collective also conducted a survey last year which found that more than 1,000 families are affected by the reckless driving and racing in the neighbourhood.

Of that group, 80% said they experienced nuisance on a daily basis, half reported sleep problems for themselves or their children due to the noise, and half said they felt unsafe in traffic. A third also feel intimidated by street racers and avoid certain streets.

The collective is demanding the implementation of effective measures, a clear timeline and structural consultation between the municipal authorities and the neighbourhood.