Built-up areaFlanders
Traffic rules
Flanders
5. Built-up area
A built-up area is an area containing concentrated buildings, streets and regular local activity. Drivers should expect more pedestrians, cyclists, intersections, parked vehicles, public transport and vehicles entering or leaving properties.
Many countries apply special traffic rules and lower default speed limits within built-up areas. The area may be identified by entrance and exit signs, street lighting or other legal criteria, so drivers must follow local signs and regulations.
Wikimedia.org • Janter • CC BY-SA
How can you recognise a built-up area in Belgium?
A built-up area begins at a built-up-area sign showing a buildings symbol, which may also display the place name. It ends at the corresponding end sign. After that sign, the rules applicable outside built-up areas take effect unless another sign indicates otherwise.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
Start of a built-up area.
English • Traffic sign F1b • Beginning of a built-up area. This sign is placed on the right at every entrance to a built-up area; it may be repeated on the left.
Français • Signal routier F1b • Commencement d'une agglomération. Ce signal est placé à droite, à chaque accès d'une agglomération; il peut être répété à gauche.
Nederlands • Verkeersbord F1b • Begin van een bebouwde kom. Dit verkeersbord wordt rechts geplaatst op elke toegangsweg tot een bebouwde kom; het mag links herhaald worden.
Sources
SVG source: Commons.wikimedia.org
Vascer • Public domain. Original SVG unmodified.
🔗 Wegcode.be • Artikel 71. Aanwijzingsborden (NL)
🔗 Codedelaroute.be • Article 71. Signaux d'indication (FR)
End of the built-up area.
English • Traffic sign F3b • End of a built-up area. This sign is placed on the right at every exit from a built-up area; it may be repeated on the left.
Français • Signal routier F3b • Fin d'une agglomération. Ce signal est placé à droite, à chaque sortie d'une agglomération; il peut être répété à gauche.
Nederlands • Verkeersbord F3b • Einde van een bebouwde kom. Dit verkeersbord wordt rechts geplaatst op elke uitvalsweg van een bebouwde kom; het mag links herhaald worden.
Sources
SVG source: Commons.wikimedia.org
Vascer • Public domain. Original SVG unmodified.
🔗 Wegcode.be • Artikel 71. Aanwijzingsborden (NL)
🔗 Codedelaroute.be • Article 71. Signaux d'indication (FR)
What is the speed limit in a Belgian built-up area?
The general maximum speed is 30 km/h in the Brussels-Capital Region and 50 km/h in the Flemish and Walloon Regions. A traffic sign may impose or permit another speed, and lower vehicle-specific limits may still apply.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
Is every road in Brussels limited to 30 km/h?
No. The general limit inside Brussels built-up areas is 30 km/h, but traffic sign C43 may indicate a lower or higher limit on a particular road.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
Start of a speed limit.
English • Traffic sign C43 • Travelling faster than the indicated speed is prohibited from the sign up to and including the next junction, or until any C43 sign, with or without zonal validity, or a sign marking the beginning or end of a built-up area, residential area (zone résidentielle or zone de rencontre), or pedestrian zone.
Français • Signal routier C43 • A partir du signal jusqu'au prochain carrefour inclus, ou jusqu’à chaque signal C43 avec ou sans validité zonale, ou jusqu’au signal indiquant le début ou la fin d’une agglomération, d’une zone résidentielle, d’une zone de rencontre ou d’une zone piétonne, interdiction de circuler à une vitesse supérieure à celle qui est indiquée.
Nederlands • Verkeersbord C43 • Vanaf het verkeersbord tot en met het volgend kruispunt, of tot elk verkeersbord C43 met of zonder zonale geldigheid, of tot het verkeersbord dat het begin of het einde van een bebouwde kom, van een woonerf of erf, of van een voetgangerszone aanduidt, verbod te rijden met een grotere snelheid dan deze die is aangeduid.
Must you allow a bus to leave its stop?
Yes. Inside a built-up area, a driver travelling in the same direction must allow a bus or trolleybus to leave its stop when its driver indicates the intention to move off. You must slow down and stop if necessary.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
How much space must you leave when passing a cyclist?
Inside a built-up area, a car or motorcycle driver must leave at least one metre between the vehicle and a cyclist or rider of a two-wheeled moped. Outside a built-up area, the minimum distance is 1.5 metres.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
Where should you place a warning triangle inside a built-up area?
The warning triangle is normally placed at least 30 metres behind the vehicle on an ordinary road. Inside a built-up area, when that distance cannot be maintained, it may be placed closer to the vehicle or, when necessary, on the vehicle.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
How do Belgians refer to a built-up area?
The official Dutch term is bebouwde kom. The French term is agglomération. In traffic law, the entrance and end signs determine the boundaries of the built-up area.
🔗 codex.vlaanderen.be • Belgian Road Code — articles 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 wegcode.be • Belgian Road Code of 1 December 1975 — 2.12, 11, 22bis, 39, 40ter, 51 and 71 (F1/F3)
🔗 be.brussels • Brussels Mobility — City 30 and residential-area speeds
