Residents in Mouscron are pleased that the alternate parking system on rue des Flandres will soon be abolished. The many garages on one side of the street have reduced the number of available spaces from number 1 to 15. As of February 1, the city of Mouscron decided to eliminate the parking mode due to outdated road infrastructure and ambiguous rules, including the 30-minute limit and strict change of side. The Walloon public service plans to abolish alternate parking entirely in the future. The VIAS institute notes the road safety hazards caused by the confusion of changing directions on the 1st or 16th of the month. The city hopes to adapt parking in all affected areas within several months.
In rue des Flandres in Mouscron, alternate parking is still in effect, but not for long. Residents are relieved. “It would be a good thing all the same, yes. Because it’s annoying, sometimes we come back at night and there are cars on each side, we don’t know how to pass, we have to back up, it’s annoying”confides a local resident. “It’s easier. Now you know it’s left, it’s left. Yes, it’s right, it’s right. That’s all”said another resident.
Another problem mentioned: the many garages that are on one side of the street. Result ? From number 1 to number 15, the number of places is reduced. “It’s true that on one side only, it would be much better. Especially the side where there is no garage. There, we know how to put between 5 and 6 more cars”underlines this inhabitant.
A real headache… so much so that since February 1, the city of Mouscron has decided to abolish this mode of parking. “The road infrastructure has evolved, so all that made this rule become obsolete. A lack of knowledge and perhaps too many rules too. And this rule, which was still old, quite strict with a change of side and which does not was only allowed for 30 minutes, placed a lot of obligations on users and often generated misunderstanding”explains Magali Delannoy, Director of Operations of the Mouscron Police Zone.
Same observation for the Walloon public service: this regulation, which dates from the 1970s, no longer suits our reality. “You should also know that it is planned, if we change to a new traffic code, to have this alternate parking completely abolished. So, in the future, it will almost even be prohibited”informs Serge Toussaint, spokesperson for the Public Service of Wallonia Mobility-Infrastructures.
The VIAS institute, for its part, mainly mentions road safety problems. “When you’re driving on the 1st or 16th of the month, in the morning, some have changed direction and some haven’t. So that means it’s a real zig zag through the cars. And let’s take the case of an ambulance or a police service which should give priority to the 1st of the month, it could have big problems”deplores Benoît Godart, spokesperson for VIAS.
The city of Mouscron hopes to have adapted parking in all the streets concerned within a few months. A long-term job that requires choosing the most suitable side wisely.
In conclusion, alternate parking in Mouscron has finally come to an end, much to the relief of local residents. Obsolete and confusing, this regulation from the 1970s no longer suits the reality of the city’s road infrastructure. The process of adapting parking in all concerned streets will take time, but the goal is to create a more suitable and efficient system for all. Ultimately, the abolition of alternate parking is a step towards improved road safety and convenience for drivers in Mouscron.