Flanders (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – UNIZO East Flanders urges investments in 8 major road issues like N60 (Ronse) and N42. Jos Vermeiren warns that delays harm safety, the economy, and access to ports in Ghent and Antwerp.
As VRT News reported, the organisation UNIZO East Flanders, which speaks for small business owners, is asking for big investments in important roads in the area. Jos Vermeiren, who works for UNIZO, says 8 traffic jams in East Flanders have been around for a long time, some for many years. These jams are causing big problems for businesses, towns, and people who drive to work.
UNIZO talked to local businesses and town leaders. People are concerned because the traffic is getting worse. Town officials are concerned about the large number of big trucks that have to go through towns. They are asserting that the roads are too congested, which is making them unsafe and slowing the economy down.
What impact do delayed road projects have on East Flanders?
According to officials, the roads in East Flanders are very important for getting around and for moving goods across Europe. The area is a key part of the transport network for Belgium and Central Europe, with major highways meeting near important business areas. These roads connect 2 of Europe’s biggest ports, Ghent and Antwerp.
They mentioned that not enough money has been spent on these roads, causing traffic jams that slow down shipping and frustrate drivers. Businesses face higher costs and delays, workers waste time in traffic, and towns get more complaints and have safety worries. UNIZO wants the government to fix these roads quickly to help businesses.
The N60 road in Ronse is the project that officials consider a priority. The N60 road in Ronse is a major route from Ghent to the Flemish Ardennes and Wallonia, but not easy to get to at the moment. According to the data, the industrial areas don’t connect well with the city which makes it difficult for trucks to bypass Ronse, and limits the connecting route to Wallonia.
They mentioned that because of this, a lot of big trucks have to drive through the centre of Ronse, causing traffic and safety issues. Local leaders think building a tunnel under the city would help, taking traffic off the streets and making the area safer. They said that the lack of a bypass road has affected the area’s economy for a long time, causing problems for businesses and local governments.
The N42 road is also a big problem because it’s old and unsafe. UNIZO and local leaders want the road to be changed into a proper two-lane road with bike lanes. Officials mentioned that a better road would help people get to and from work safely, especially in industrial areas. These road projects, like the N60 and N42, are just 2 of the 8 major traffic problems in the area.
UNIZO and local authorities want the government to include these projects in the new investment plan, which decides which projects get money. They mentioned that if these projects aren’t chosen now, they could be delayed for 10 years.
“We hope that our questions will be taken into account and that we will receive answers soon,” says Vermeiren.
