Steenokkerzeel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Around 60 drivers in Steenokkerzeel were wrongly fined by the Lesagestraat ANPR camera due to a software error. Alderman Wim Mombaerts and Haviland are correcting the errors.
As VRT News reported, about 60 drivers in Steenokkerzeel, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, were wrongly fined after passing the ANPR camera on Lesagestraat. The camera is used to stop shortcut traffic during busy weekday hours, allowing only residents with a valid permit to pass. Due to a technical fault in the camera system, several residents who had the correct permit still received fines.
Alderman for Mobility Wim Mombaerts (Klaver/N-VA) said the issue came from an error in the software. He added that the fault has been fixed and that the system will now be checked more often to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
What happened to the 60 Steenokkerzeel drivers wrongly fined by an ANPR camera?
Drivers who received a fine by mistake are being asked not to pay but to file a defence immediately. They must register on the Haviland website at www.haviland.be/gas. Officials mentioned that motorists must include their case number, vehicle registration, and a short note explaining the error. Proof of a valid permit or other supporting documents should also be attached. Once the form is sent, Haviland will review the case and cancel any fines given in error.
The municipality of Steenokkerzeel has apologised after dozens of motorists were wrongly. Alderman for Mobility Wim Mombaerts (Klaver/N-VA) said the mistake happened during a software update that caused the system to misread some license plates.
A similar camera problem happened before in Belgium. In February 2024, several municipalities reported mistakes with parking scan cars that wrongly issued fines after reading license plates incorrectly. In Grimbergen, another issue was raised in May 2025 when the Flemish Supervisory Commission warned that some ANPR cameras were not fully following privacy rules, allowing drivers to challenge fines.
