Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Vlaams Belang, led by Filip Dewinter and Anke Vandermeersch, launched a campaign in Antwerp opposing tolls on the Liefkenshoek and planned Oosterweel Tunnels, promoting a Flemish road tax until 2030.
As VRT News reported, Vlaams Belang has started a major campaign in Antwerp and the surrounding areas. The party focuses on tolls under the Scheldt. During the campaign launch, Filip Dewinter pointed to the “Schelde Vri” monument on Marnixplaats. The monument reminds people that ships had to pay tolls in the Netherlands more than 200 years ago.
Dewinter used this history to say drivers should not pay tolls today. The campaign targets the existing toll in the Liefkenshoek Tunnel and the planned tolls for the Oosterweel Tunnel. The party says tolls slow traffic and cost car owners money. It also says Flemish people already pay too much in taxes, making tolls unfair.
What is Vlaams Belang doing to make Antwerp tunnels toll-free?
Vlaams Belang does not explain how the Oosterweel Tunnel would be paid for without tolls. The current tolls are meant to repay the debts from building the tunnel. Removing tolls raises questions about who would cover the costs. By connecting the historical monument with modern road charges, the party wants to show it defends local drivers.
Party leaders Filip Dewinter and Anke Vandermeersch say the system is unfair. Foreigners and trucks must pay tolls, but ordinary car drivers do not. The party says the cost problems are not its responsibility. They blame current and previous governments for the situation.
According to the party, partially covering the Antwerp Ring Road has made construction costs rise sharply. Dewinter and Vandermeersch argue that political decisions to extend coverage, especially on the southern part of the Ring, should not be paid for at the party’s or supporters’ expense.
Filip Dewinter said,
“We advocate for a Flemish road tax to replace the current road tax. That would be socially fairer, simpler, and administratively cheaper.”
“We advocate for a Flemish road tax to replace the current road tax. This would be socially fairer, simpler, and administratively cheaper.”
Filip Dewinter (Flemish Interest)
The party wants a road tax vignette as a solution. Vlaams Belang has started a long campaign that will run until the new tunnel opens in 2030. The issue is also a theme for the local elections in the same year. The pre-campaign uses posters, stickers, and items such as scented cards for cars.
Critics may call the campaign populist, but the party says this is part of its approach to reach voters. With social media advertising limited, Vlaams Belang is putting more effort into traditional campaigns. The party stresses that the financial impact of toll-free zones in Antwerp is not its responsibility and focuses on appealing to local frustrations and practical concerns.
The Liefkenshoek Tunnel opened on 10 July 1991 after construction began in 1987. It links Beveren to Antwerp under the Scheldt and has charged tolls since it opened. The Oosterweel Link, part of the Antwerp Ring Road, was first proposed in 1996. Toll revenue was planned to help repay the debt for this large project.
In April 2022, the Council of State temporarily stopped part of the Oosterweel works because of PFOS-contaminated soil. Vlaams Belang says this shows mismanagement by the Flemish government has increased costs. The party now uses the issue to campaign against tolls and highlight rising expenses for drivers and taxpayers.
