Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent tests custom traffic signs for the Winter Festivities to reduce underground parking queues and improve tram flow. This marks the city’s second pilot project using self-designed signage.
As VRT News reported, Ghent is trying a new traffic plan for the Winter Festivities, starting Thursday, December 4th, 2025. The city expects large crowds this year. Last year, about 2.5 million visitors came to the city centre to see the Christmas market, ice rink, and holiday shows.
Authorities are asking people to travel on foot, by bicycle, or by public transport. Driving is allowed, but parking is limited. They mentioned that cars waiting at the entrances can cause long lines and block trams, especially near the Kouter.
New traffic signs are being tested to improve the flow.
“We’re going to reorganise traffic flow to minimise disruption,”
says Alderman Joris Vandenbroucke (For Ghent).
What is Ghent doing with custom traffic signs for Winter Festivities?
Drivers going to the underground parking via Schouwburgstraat will be directed to the Vogelmarkt entrance instead. This will move the queue to Zonnestraat, which also has tram tracks. No trams are running there because of construction work. Officials say the signs will reduce waiting times, prevent trams from being blocked, and make traffic smoother for visitors.
“The homemade plates are a trend”
Ghent is using self-made traffic signs again to solve a city traffic problem. This is the second time the city has created its own signs to manage traffic.
“It works a bit like a warning on a cigarette pack,”
the alderman explained at the time.
The new signs will be used during the Winter Festivities in Ghent. The Ghent Roads Department will design and install them.
“You could safely call this approach a trend,”
concludes the alderman.
They will be in place from December 4th, 2025, to December 31st, 2025, covering the entire holiday event. This year, the Festivities end during the Christmas holidays. Officials said that next year, the Winter Festivities will be extended by one week.
In February 2025, Ghent introduced its first self-made traffic signs to solve a recurring problem at the Spesbroekstraat railway bridge in Wondelgem. The bridge, with a clearance of only 2.2 metres, was often hit by tall delivery vans.
The city installed signs displaying photos of previous collisions, along with reflective strips, to improve visibility. The results were immediate: in the 6 months after the signs went up, only one accident was reported. Officials say the success of this experiment encouraged the city to continue testing homemade traffic signs for other busy areas.
Ghent’s approach to traffic signs is unusual in Belgium, but similar ideas have been tested in a few other towns. In Herent, authorities put up signs showing a truck under a low bridge to warn drivers about limited clearance.
