Can I drive my cambio car through a restricted access zone?

What is a restricted access zone ?

Restricted access zones are busy areas where certain types of vehicles are not allowed to pass through. They aim to combat cut-through traffic, prevent you from driving straight through the city from one sector to another, or delimit a pedestrian zone. In some places, it is physically impossible to pass (fixed bollards or blocks, complete redesign of the street). In other places, there are (also) road markings and traffic signs.

Control is carried out, among other methods, using license plate recognition cameras (ANPR cameras). These cameras scan your license plate and check if you have permission to drive through a restricted access zone. If not, you will receive a fine of €58.

Who is allowed to drive through restricted access zones ? 

Restricted access zones are (usually) only accessible to: • Emergency services • De Lijn vehicles (public transport) • Taxis • Waste collection and removal vehicles • Urban distribution services, organized transport for less mobile persons, and professional healthcare providers with the correct permit • (Electric) bicycle or moped (speed pedelec class, class A) • Pedestrians

Cambio cars do not have a standard access permit to drive through these restricted access zones.

How can I apply for an access permit?

If you wish to drive through a restricted access zones, you must apply for a permit from the competent authority in your city.

Bruges 

In Bruges, a low-traffic zone is active in the city center. Shared cars are not allowed to drive in this zone, with the exception of shared cars from the Bapaume, Boeverie, Collaert Mansion, Gentpoort, Guldenvlies, Pandreitje, Parking Oud St-Jan, Potterierei, St Jakobsplein, St Jansplein Brugge, Walplein, and Woensdagsmarkt stations, which are located in the historic center. Cameras with automatic license plate recognition will control access to the low-traffic zone. Steenstraat is car-free every day between 13:00 and 18:00. Adjacent streets become low-traffic on weekends between 13:00 and 18:00. Katelijnestraat is low-traffic every day between 13:00 and 18:00. All information and exact streets can be found at www.brugge.be/autoluwgebied.

Ghent 

If you are a cambio user in Ghent and live within the pedestrian zone, you must apply for a temporary permit each time you wish to enter the pedestrian zone. You must register yourself as a visitor to be allowed into the zone. Therefore, do not forget to register this trip during or after each cambio trip, and no later than midnight on the day you entered the zone. You have 24 hours to regularize your trip. The license plate is not known in advance, but you can find it after your trip via mycambio.be/trips archive. This way you can avoid unnecessary fines. You can submit an application for the visitor registration permit here.

Leuven 

To enter the pedestrian zone by car outside of the designated hours, you need an access permit. You can find more information about this here.

In Leuven, there are also a few restricted access zones. The cambio cars within these zones already have an access permit. Other shared cars must always apply for a permit before entering the zone. You can find more information here.

The cambio cars from the Vaartstraat, Tweewaters, Vital De Coster, and Lombaardenstraat stations have a permanent access permit for Burchtstraat. You do not need to apply for an access permit per trip yourself.

The cambio cars from the Spaanse Kroon station have a permanent access permit for Spaanse Kroon. You do not need to apply for an access permit per trip yourself.

Please note, these access permits are only valid for the cars at these specific stations, not for all cambio cars in Leuven.

If you still need to drive through the restricted access zones of Spaanse Kroon or Burchtstraat with a cambio car from another station, you must apply for a permit for that shared car per trip. You can report this up to 48 hours afterwards here with the remark "cambio – license plate not known in advance".

Mechelen 

As part of the redesign of the ramparts, a number of restricted access zones have been introduced. Some restricted access zones are open to residents of designated zones. Generally, cambio cars with a station in the zone have the same rights or permits as the residents of that zone. You therefore do not need to register your cambio car with every trip.

More information via denieuwevesten.mechelen.be