Residents living on Avenue Albert, running between the Brussels municipalities of Forest and Uccle, have called on authorities to improve the situation on the once prestigious avenue, which they say has fallen into disrepair.
Avenue Albert, located on the territory of Uccle and Forest, was long considered one of the most beautiful and prestigious avenues in the Brussels region. The long road runs from Place Albert by Parc de Forest to Place Léon Vanderkindere in Uccle. It was built, together with the Avenue Churchill, to connect the Bois de la Cambre with the Park of Forest.
"The avenue was characterised by its wide pavements, central promenade lined with chestnut trees and stately architecture from the beginning of the 20th century," local residents wrote in a petition addressed to the Brussels Region, the municipality of Forest and the municipality of Uccle.
An archival image of the street. Credit: Patrimoine.Brussels
Avenue Albert was originally occupied by a bourgeois population of Brussels, who owned opulent residences and luxurious mansions built between 1900 and 1910.
"Today, this stately avenue has unfortunately become a grey city motorway with very narrow pavements littered with traffic signs, parking meters and rubbish bags," the residents wrote. They added that people with limited mobility and families with prams have difficulty using these pavements due to their poor state.
They argued the traffic lane is disproportionately big. "This leads to inappropriate driving behaviour and life-threatening situations for pedestrians and cyclists." The letter referred to an incident in 2021 when a young woman lost her life when crossing the road near the Berkendael tram stop.
Brussels Mobility data from 2019 until June 2024 showed around four accidents occur on the road every year. In this period, eight accidents involved pedestrians and four cyclists.
Finally, locals also lamented that there is "too little control" on anti-social behaviour, which has resulted in smashed car windows and fly-tipping, among others.
Restoring to glory
The petition published on Wednesday 12 February, puts forward several proposals which locals argue will restore the avenue to its former glory.
This includes wide pavements with high-quality materials and making the space greener by letting wild plants grow in the tram tracks, resurfacing the parking lane and planting additional trees. To improve the parking situation, they call on authorities to provide demarcated parking spaces to "optimise and harmonise parking capacity".
The layout of the road today as opposed to what locals would like it to be.
Residents want safe and separate cycle paths to ensure people of all ages can cycle safely on the road. Finally, they called for an optimised flow of car traffic.
No plans for renewal
Avenue Albert is a regional road, meaning a project to renovate it should be set up by the regional agency Brussels Mobility. Spokesperson Steven Fierens confirmed there is currently no such plan on the table.
"It also remains to be seen what the (budgetary) priorities of the future Brussels regional government will be," he told The Brussels Times.
While he recognised that the road profile is quite old, and the agency understands the concerns of residents, Fierens noted some improvements have been made, such as the marked bicycle lane – replacing the 2x2 road layout – and the installation of elevated speed breakers after the accident in 2021.
Related News
- Belgian social housing supply below European average
- 'Intolerable': 38 illegally vacant homes in Saint-Josse sparks anger
Any possible redevelopment would also need support from Forest and Uccle. Flo Flamme, Forest Councillor for Mobility, said she is aware of the challenges on Avenue Albert and understands the concerns of the residents.
"The limited space for pedestrians and cyclists makes the situation less than ideal," she told The Brussels Times. "As a municipality, we would certainly support a reconstruction by Brussels Mobility that improves safety, quality of life and accessibility."
