Only Espace for 900 cars

Date: 13/02/1997

The Brussels city authorities have upset European Parliament administrators by informing them that only 900 car parking spaces will be permitted beneath the new Espace Leopold building, even though there is room in the basement for 2,300 places.

The Brussels Environment Minister Didier Gosuin has sent a letter explaining that the aim is to discourage too many cars from using the city's congested European quarter.

Furious Parliament officials say they need all the spaces they can get. The building developers Société Forum Leopold are challenging the decision ahead of the April deadline for the car park to be in use.

But Gosuin would appear to have right on his side. He quotes a European Commission report which suggests cutting available spaces for EU civil servants. Not only that, says Gosuin, but he has seen some very authoritative arguments put forward to accompany recommendations that measures should be taken to limit the use of cars in all cities.

Where did these recommendations come from? The European Parliament of course.