Zandhoven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Zandhoven will lower speed limits to 30 km/h near schools, care homes, and village centres, 50 km/h on industrial and rural roads from February 2, 2025, says Alderman Jelle Lauwereys (CD&V).
As VRT News reported, Zandhoven, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, will reduce speed limits on almost all roads in the municipality. Until now, many streets allowed speeds up to 70 kilometres per hour.
The municipality will now be divided into 18 mobility zones. Each zone will have clear speed rules depending on the area. Local media described the changes as a “fairly radical break with the past.”
What are Zandhoven’s new speed limits and safety plans from Feb 2?
The new rules set a 30-kilometre-per-hour limit in areas around schools, residential neighbourhoods such as Viesenbos in Pulderbos, and all village centres. Streets near care homes and nursing homes will also have the same limit.
From February 2nd, 2025, the municipality will lower speed limits on several roads to 50 kilometres per hour. In addition, 8 new bicycle streets will be opened. Groenstraat in Pulderbos and Keulsebaan in Pulle are among the first streets to be converted. Alderman for Mobility Jelle Lauwereys (CD&V) said the plan focuses on improving safety for all road users, including drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Alderman for Mobility Jelle Lauwereys (CD&V) said,
“We believe it’s important that vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, can travel safely through Zandhoven. We also want children to be able to continue playing in the streets, for example.”
“We want children to be able to continue playing on the streets.”
Jelle Lauwereys (CD8V), Alderman for Mobility
The installation of the new speed limit signs is already underway throughout the municipality, but the signs have yet to be unveiled. At the recent city council meeting, the mobility plan received backlash from many members of the council who were not supportive of it.
The opposition, Vlaams Belang, supports the 30 km/h zones in front of schools; however, they do not support how far these zones will extend. They have warned that they feel as if the plan is too large in scope and have concerns over how effective these new changes will be on the overall area.
“There’s also school-going traffic on many streets around schools and residential areas. We want children to get home safely from the first to the last kilometre,”
Alderman Lauwereys defended.
To reduce the number of minor accidents involving children in 2023, trial 30 km/h zones were introduced adjacent to many schools. The current plan was approved by the city council in December 2025. These measures intend to create a safer environment for road users, to encourage sustainable methods of transportation, and to adhere to the regional safety laws, which were established in 2024.
