The first SPECS (average speed check service) system in the Brussels region is operational on the Boulevard Léopold III, straddling Schaerbeek and Evere. Local and regional authorities made the announcement on Friday during the official opening.
The maximum speed of 50 kilometres per hour is now controlled across the entire section, located between the Boulevard Général Wahis in Schaerbeek and the roundabout of the Avenue des Loisirs, close to the head office of Carrefour Belgium. The segment is some 663 metres for motorists entering the city, and 813 metres for those leaving it.
The first SPECS system in Brussels was officially opened on Friday morning, by the Secretary of State for Road Safety, Bianca Debaets, and the mayors of Schaerbeek and Evere, Bernard Clerfayt and Pierre Muylle.
Ms Debaets is delighted, “Thanks to the goodwill of all stakeholders, we have been able very quickly to speed up this project.” She goes on, “The SPECS system enables the improvement of road safety and the reduction of noise nuisance. On this trunk road, the police even recorded a vehicle driving at 161 kilometres per hour. It is criminal behaviour.”
Bernard Clerfayt, also President of the College of the Brussels-North police zone, mentioned that this SPECS system fell within a wider road safety action plan. He promised, “Within the zone, we have increased the number of fines by 60%, compared to last year. Moreover such numbers will rise further.”
Pierre Muylle asserted, “This is indeed a road safety measure. We are not using this mechanism to return money to the coffers.” He went on, “We must, in particular, pay police officers responsible for recording offences.”
Bianca Debaets promised that other SPECS systems will soon be introduced in the Brussels region. She announced, “Discussions have significantly advanced with the City of Brussels and the Brussels-Ixelles police zone to install a SPECS system in the Stéphanie tunnel.”
The Brussels Times
