Flanders considers cutting motorway speed limit to 100km/h

Flemish climate minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) has proposed reducing the speed limit to 100 km/h on the region's motorways, a move which she said would bring considerable health, safety and environmental benefits.

Depraetere said she was considering the measure, RTL reports, as part of a series of actions that Flanders plans to implement by the summer to reduce CO2 emissions in the region.

The reduction of the speed limit for environmental purposes has already been done in the Netherlands, where the limit is 100 km/h between 6.00 and 19.00. Outside these hours, motorists are allowed to drive at 120 or 130 km/h, depending on the location.

The measure was introduced in 2019 to reduce nitrogen deposits, but also allowed for the faster completion of major construction projects and less traffic jams.

Driving at 100 km/h instead of 120 also reduces fuel consumption by 20 to 30% and is better for road safety.

“After all, there are fewer serious and fatal accidents when you reduce speed,” Depraetere said. “These are sufficient arguments to open the debate.”

Depraetere is not responsible for mobility and is therefore calling on colleague Annick De Ridder (N-VA) to consider the issue.

“As climate minister, my role is to ensure that each colleague presents a number of proposals,” said Depraetere.

“This is one of the options – and there are several. But we shouldn't always be reinventing the wheel.”

Flanders is currently behind on its commitments to reduce CO2 emissions, which are only expected to fall by 33%, far from the 40% target set for 2030. Agriculture and transport are the sectors lagging furthest behind.

The new climate plan is due to be finalised in the coming weeks.

“Everything has been studied,” Depraetere said. “It's time to make a decision.”