Plan to ease congestion on Tervuren part of Brussels ring

The Flemish government will fund a €5 million study on how to improve traffic on the congested east side of the Brussels ring around Tervuren, Overijse and Hoeilaart.

The recommendations will focus on three busy interchanges: the junction with the N275 at Groenendaal, the Tervuren Quatre Bras and the Carrefour Léonard where the ring meets the E411.

Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts said severe congestion had led to drivers seeking shortcuts on smaller town roads. The study is expected to take three to four years. Money will also be spent on noise insulation at Jezus-Eik.

The project is part of a series of traffic flow changes on the ring road - described as "quick wins" - which aim to ease congestion. Last autumn, changes were made to the road configuration around Strombeek-Bever, Groot-Bijgaarden and Zellik.

Peter Van Biesbroek, from the Flemish Brabant branch of employers' organisation Voka, said: "After the investments to the north of the Brussels ring, it's good that money is now being made available to the east. We hope that, in the future, enough money will be available to carry out the recommended work."

According to new figures from consultancy firm Deloitte, the average Brussels driver loses a whole working week per year in traffic jams.

"A change in behaviour among the general public is a real challenge, partly due to the policy on company cars," the international study said.