Skip to main content

Speed limit reduction to improve traffic flow

The centre of Brussels, the Belgian capital, has become a 30km/hour speed limit zone. At 4.6km², it is now one of the largest such zones in Europe and its introduction coincided with European Mobility Week (16-22 September). The entire area within Brussels’ Ring Road will be restricted to 30km/hour for all vehicles except trams. An exception will be made for four wide lanes awaiting redevelopment. Traffic signs will be posted at all access routes, and drivers will be reminded of the speed limit with roa
May 14, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The centre of Brussels, the Belgian capital, has become a 30km/hour
speed limit zone.

At 4.6km², it is now one of the largest such zones in Europe and its introduction coincided with European Mobility Week (16-22 September). The entire area within Brussels’ Ring Road will be restricted to 30km/hour for all vehicles except trams. An exception will be made for four wide lanes awaiting redevelopment.

Traffic signs will be posted at all access routes, and drivers will be reminded of the speed limit with road markings and flashing speed indicator signs. After an evaluation phase, the authorities will carry out enforcement via fines.

The city council hopes that besides improving traffic safety, this measure will also improve the city centre’s vibrancy and flow of traffic, leading to reductions in air and noise pollution.

The council intends to monitor the implementation closely for a year after which additional reshaping measures may follow.

Related Content

  • How retroreflection can assist in improving traffic safety
    April 29, 2015
    Better road markings can boost safety for road users. There is currently a strong focus on traffic safety in Europe with a number of programmes intended to reduce the overall number of crashes on roads and cut the statistics for injuries and fatalities. In the first EU programme implemented between 2001 and 2010, the goal was to halve the number of people killed in road crashes. Most EU countries showed significant improvement over the decade and a few countries met or even exceeded this target of 50% r
  • Improved roadmarkings will boost roadway safety for users
    February 19, 2013
    An Innovative road marking system helping to boost public transport in a major South American city, and road marking analytic technology robust enough to withstand damage in heavy rain are among products examined by Guy Woodford . DEGAROUTE Methacylate (MMA) cold plastic area markings from Evonik Industries are being used as part of efforts to improve the public transport system in Santiago, Chile. By adding red pigment to the DEGAROUTE binder, distinctive and long-lasting red-coloured bus lanes are being c
  • Using ITS to maximise safety and traffic flow for cycling
    January 22, 2013
    Copenhagen, Denmark, has long been known as one of the world’s leading cities for cycling. In some areas of the city, the modal share of bikes has reached a level of as much as 50 %. And on some of the most frequently used bike paths the average daily number of cyclists is close to 30,000. As these numbers continue to rise, new ways of planning and implementing cycling infrastructure are needed. Increasingly, Danish traffic planners are turning to technology as a tool for planning cycling infrastructure. I
  • Via Nordica turns international
    July 31, 2012
    Via Nordica, the road technology conference of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) has changed from the traditional Nordic event to become more international The conference, held every four years, rotates between the five countries, and the 2008 event, held in Helsinki, the Finnish capital, was a clear demonstration of the international trend. An accompanying exhibition attracted more than 70 companies and organisations from 14 countries. Pär-Håkan Appel, the secretary g