Belliard tunnel only accessible in rush hours following water leak

The Belliard tunnel in Brussels' EU district will only be open during rush hours on Wednesday, to allow for urgent repair works to a burst water pipe.

The incident forced the tunnel to be shut on Tuesday morning, causing a major traffic headache on Rue Belliard and the surrounding streets.

To help keep traffic moving, Brussels Mobility reached a compromise with firefighters to allow vehicles to pass from 16.00-20.00 on Tuesday evening and from 6.00-9.00 on Wednesday morning.

Repair works are being carried out overnight and will resume after 9.00 on Wednesday morning as necessary. The Belliard tunnel is due a major renovation in the near future.

The leak is substantial and any damage to the water systems in a road tunnel requires it to be closed to traffic as a fire safety measure.

"We've reached an agreement with firefighters that this rule can be waived this time, in exchange for putting in place alternative measures", a Brussels Mobility spokeswoman said.