The City of Brussels wants to extend the pedestrian zone in the city centre.
According to a recent draft of the Brussels government’s new Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (PRDD), additional 25km² will be added by 2025, and 40km² by 2040.
The Brussels Capital Region is also considering closing a number of Brussels’ tunnels by 2025, and possibly covering parts of the city’s inner Ring Road between Madou and Trône, Porte de Namur and Porte de Namur, and Rogier and Botanique.
Brussels government stresses that the draft only sketches a preliminary design, and that the final version of the PRDD will be discussed in parliament in October.
After that it will be officially presented to the press and public.
However, opposition to the plan has already started.
“I see that the government has decided to put aside democracy, opting for the closure of a number of tunnels, without evaluating or discussing it thoroughly,” said Etterbeek mayor Vincent De Wolf in Het Nieuwsblad.