2014-01-16 – The Brussels Regional Government has reduced the three options for Métro Nord to two basic routes which are undergoing more detailed analysis. “It is important for Métro Nord to pass through the most populated districts, so that as many people as possible can make use of it,” said the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of State for Mobility.
This extension of the Brussels metro in the direction of Schaerbeek and Evere is essential to meet the growing demand for public transport between the centre of Brussels and the north of the Region.
Choice of route
The socio-economic feasibility study had analysed three possible routes: “Schaerbeek dense”, “Schaerbeek railway station” and “Louis Bertrand”. It came out in favour of the “Schaerbeek dense” route, which has the highest potential in terms of passenger numbers and modal shift. This is thus the route offering the best mobility solution, and the Brussels Government therefore threw its support behind the “Schaerbeek dense” route from February 2013.
In a subsequent study phase, the Brussels Government decided in September 2013 to examine three variants of the “Schaerbeek dense” route in more detail.
The Government has today moved ahead to the next step, reducing these three variants to two:
- Variant A via Liedts, Collignon, Waelhem 2, Helmet, Paix and Bordet;
- Variant B via Liedts, Collignon, Waelhem 2, Riga, Tilleul, Paix and Bordet.
This decision has been taken by the Government on the basis of two criteria. The first criterion is that the route must serve as many critical points as possible where roads intersect, i.e. at points of convergence: Liedts, Collignon, Verboeckhoven and Helmet. The second criterion is that the route must be a credible alternative to tram line 55, which will ultimately disappear.
The other variant (via Paul Vandevelde and Brien) has been dropped because it only served two points of convergence. In addition, it was too far from the current tram line 55 and too close to the current tram line 62. The arrival of Métro Nord will result in the disappearance of tram line 55, whereas tram line 62 will be kept.
Since September, two other issues have also been resolved. At the request of the urban planning agency of Beliris and of the Task Force, the route will pass via Waelhem 2 instead of Rayé and via Paix rather than Oud Kappeleke. It thus includes a connection with the RER and tram networks.
Timetable
The Brussels Government plans to determine the final route of Métro Nord in spring 2014. It has yet to decide whether, in the Helmet district, the route will be put further north (via Riga) or south (via Helmet).
Work on the technical examination of the project and the preparation of the urban master plan will continue until the end of the year. 2015 and 2016 will be devoted to obtaining the planning and environmental permits, and contracts will then be awarded in 2017, so that construction can begin in 2018. The construction work is estimated to last four years. If everything goes to plan, the first Métro Nord trains should come into use in the course of 2022.
