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New Brussels coalition announces ambitious projects

11:36 15/07/2014

At a press conference yesterday, the newly formed government for the Brussels region set out its aims in tackling urban planning, traffic congestion and the housing crisis.

The coalition announced that it planned to build 6,500 council houses as well as improving 10 new urban neighbourhoods in run-down areas of Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek, Vorst/Foret and Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles.

Some 60% of the housing is to be set aside for families on low incomes, while the rest will go to those on average incomes. The region is also introducing a new urban planning authority to cut down on red tape.

Special attention is being paid to the canal district on the border of Brussels City and Molenbeek, which is to be turned into the “backbone” of the region.

The government also aims to carry out ambitious projects to tackle the city’s chronic traffic congestion, including a bold plan to put the E40 and E411 motorways underground to create new boulevards.

There is also good news for cyclists, who are promised dedicated cycle lanes along the entire inner ring. Calls to introduce a congestion charge in Brussels have been rejected, at least under the current government.

Instead, the government wants to invest heavily in the metro system and extend the network to Evere in the north-east and Ukkel/Uccle in the south-west, as well as extending the route of tram 62 to Brussels Airport.

The metro stations at Beurs/Bourse, Bockstael and Montgomery are in line for a facelift and timetables are to be extended to provide a better service during school holidays and at night. Some 10,000 extra parking spaces are to be provided for commuters at metro stations and free wifi is to be installed in metro stations. 

Written by Derek Blyth