Retractable bollards come into service in Luxembourg city; Credit: Copyright VDL Photothèque Charles Soubry

On Friday 19 August 2022, the Ville de Luxembourg officially put into service the retractable bollards aimed at securing and controlling access to the pedestrian zone of the Upper Town. 

From now on, the automatic bollards spread over seven access / exit points of the pedestrian zone can be operated by rights-holders using a badge, or remotely by access management operators. On five of the sites, fixed devices have been installed where no entry or exit is possible. The perimeter of the area concerned is formed by the Boulevard Royal to the west, by the Rue Notre-Dame to the south, followed by the Rue du Fossé to the east and by the axis formed by the Rue des Bains and Rue Willy Goergen to the north, to finish at the crossroads of the Grand-Rue / Rue Aldringen.

Access to the pedestrian zone will continue, in accordance with the provisions of the Highway Code and the municipal traffic regulations, by means of the pedestrian zone access sticker issued by the City of Luxembourg. 

A distinction should be made between two different access titles:

• Access stickers allocated to local residents and traders: This gives access at any time to local residents using a parking space or a private garage only accessible via the pedestrian zone, as well as to residents and traders whose dwelling has no other exit than that overlooking the pedestrian zone. From now on, the sticker is inseparable from the access badge which allows rights holders to operate the hydraulic retractable bollards to enter and exit.

• The right of temporary access issued to suppliers and external companies for the purpose of intervening with local residents and traders: This is essentially issued to vehicles belonging to suppliers, movers or contractors whose activity requires them to access the pedestrian zone outside the delivery times applicable in the pedestrian zone. Any company needing to access the pedestrian zone must ring the bell of the technical column equipped with a video transmission module so that the terminals are operated remotely after verification of the authorisations previously established by the Traffic Service of the City of Luxembourg.

As usual, deliveries to commercial establishments and the Horeca sector remain guaranteed every day of the week from 06:00 to 10:00, during which time the bollards are lowered. Deliveries scheduled between 18:00 and 22:00 are authorised in regulated places and signposted as such; however, the access terminals remain in a raised position and require an announcement at the technical terminal.

All information relating to access to the pedestrian zone and the related forms are available on zonespietonnes.vdl.lu.