The Mediapark Colonel Bourg neighbourhood committee sent a letter on Monday to the Brussels Public Prosecutor, Julien Moinil, to denounce the "accident-prone" nature of the recent developments on Rue Colonel Bourg in Schaerbeek.
In the letter, Schaerbeek residents argue that the roadworks carried out in the spring by Brussels Mobility have exacerbated the risks for road users.
These improvements were implemented after the death of a cyclist, who was hit by a truck on July 11, 2024. They also resulted in the removal of 11 parking spaces, which has drawn local criticism.
According to the committee, which claims to have contacted 600 residents, "the new layout is even more dangerous for both cyclists and car traffic".
The residents assert that the causes of the fatal accident have not been addressed and cite the risk of head-on and side collisions, particularly with Brussels public transport operator STIB-MIVB buses 21 and 79, as well as trucks and vans.
The committee is requesting a widening of the road at the double bend, a dedicated cycle lane, and a gentler angle to prevent buses, cars, and trucks from encroaching on the cycle path.
It has already made proposals after the July 2024 accident, which, according to the committee, remained unimplemented for nearly a year and nine months.
Opposing views
The issue has been the subject of two opposing views for several days. Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) has defended the changes, arguing they were made in the name of road safety.
She reminded the Brussels Parliament's Mobility Committee that a woman had lost her life on this street and said she supported the removal of some parking spaces if it helps to make an intersection or other dangerous area safer.
Local officials and residents, however, contest the method, the effectiveness of the measures, and their impact on parking.
During the Schaerbeek municipal council meeting on 22 April, where Georges Verzin (1030 Ensemble) had already mentioned the neighbourhood committee's approach to the Public Prosecutor's Office, Bernard Clerfayt (DéFI), a former mayor of Schaerbeek and former regional minister, questioned the council about the consultation with Brussels Mobility, the municipal decision, and the proposed alternatives.
Schaerbeek's councillor for Mobility, Justine Harzé (PS), admitted that the council had issued an opinion on the plan submitted by Brussels Mobility, but emphasised the reservations expressed by the municipality.
She indicated that the council had approved the plan on 28 August, 2025, while expressing concerns about the chicanes planned for straight sections and requesting that alternatives be examined after evaluation. According to her, the plans submitted by Brussels Mobility did not explicitly mention the removal of parking spaces.
'No conflict' between parking and road safety
Harzé also rejected the idea of a conflict between parking and road safety. She stated that the council had never criticised the improvements at the precise location of the fatal accident and had even requested that the intervention zone be expanded due to speeding problems on Rue Colonel Bourg.
During the same debate, Salih Demirhan (Les Engagés) acknowledged that the need to improve safety was not disputed, but questioned whether the measures taken truly addressed the actual causes of the accident. Mathias Gyselen (Ecolo-Groen) defended the improvements in the name of pedestrian and cyclist safety, arguing that the choice had to be clear between a few parking spaces and human lives.
Doubts were also raised regarding the legality of the improvements. Brussels State Secretary for Urban Planning Audrey Henry (MR), also a municipal councillor and former mayor of Schaerbeek, stated on BX1 that the situation constituted "an offence" and that a report could be filed.
The signatories are also asking the public prosecutor to draw the authorities' attention to the risks involved in the event of another serious or fatal accident.
