Knokke tests road closure: tourists have to run three kilometers to the beach

Tuesday afternoon, 12.30 p.m. The police begin to block streets in Knokke. The drivers seem surprised that they suddenly no longer be allowed to drive here. The road closures are part of the restricted area that the city tests today. Between 12.30 p.m. and 6 p.m., only people with a valid reason are allowed to stay in the city center, such as residents, employees or emergency services.

Knokke hopes to be able to redirect visitors to the parking spaces on the outskirts on the outskirts, which are about three kilometers from the center. « Today is a test, » says police chief Steve Desmet. « We want to see what this marginal area means as a police district for us and recognize mistakes to see what can be improved. »

The measure is not an unnecessary luxury: on May 1st, 40,000 day tourists drove to Knokke-Heist. « 70 percent of the day tourists come by car, » says Mayor Cathy Coudyser. « You want to go to the beach as quickly as possible, but do not know the streets in the city center. This not only leads to traffic chaos, but also to parking shortage. The search for a parking space often ends with the fact that the sidewalk is parked incorrectly, which results in a fine. » Road redirections to the marginal parking lot should solve the problem.

Concerned residents

« On May 1st there was actually chaos with all the day tourists, but now too, » explains resident Carlos de Smul (75), who watched the chaotic scenes on Tuesday afternoon. Everywhere in the center, also on the corner of Abraham Hansplein and Koningslaan, long car -in forms. « If the officials have to ask everyone where they have to go, there is of course traffic jams. »

De Smul is visibly irritated and dissatisfied with the mobility plan. And he doesn’t seem to be the only one. The residents are not entirely clear what it contains. « I’m worried that my children or grandchildren cannot come to me on hot days, » says Liliane Commerman (82). « For example, they bring me food. You can’t drag them three kilometers, do you? »

Muriel Vanherck (61), owner of the « Centenaire » catering operation, also expresses her resentment. « My employees have to go an hour earlier. Even if we are still allowed to the city center, residents and employees are stuck in traffic jams because it is checked who is allowed to go to the center. » Vanherck fears that tourists will avoid Knokke. « Our customers also consist of older people. They will probably go to another coastal city where they don’t have to run three kilometers to the dike. »

Overall experience

Mayor Coudyser contradicts: « We already have tourists who no longer want to come to Knokke because they are stuck in traffic for hours to find a parking space. This is not a pleasant experience. With the heat plan, to which the blocking area also belongs, we want to attract day tourists again. We want to create a pleasant overall experience – traffic chaos is not one of them. »

Police chief Desmet adds: « By reducing the chaos in the center, the quality of life of the residents will increase again. » The blocking circle should only apply on announced days of heat. The city will do this Communicate three days in advance. It remains to be seen whether the measure actually ensures less traffic chaos this summer.

This article originally appeared at « De standaard ». Translation and processing: Sabrina Backes.