Nearly a Quarter of Brussels Traffic Cameras Found Defective

Nearly one in four Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras on Brussels’ road network is defective, according to new figures that expose systemic failures in the Belgian capital’s surveillance infrastructure. The revelations, reported by RTBF, raise serious questions about traffic enforcement, road safety monitoring, and crime-fighting capabilities in the region.

A System Under Strain

Data from Irisnet, the regional company responsible for developing telecommunications infrastructure and services in Brussels, shows that 23% of the 498 ANPR cameras on the region’s road network are currently out of service. The percentage of malfunctioning cameras is reportedly on the rise, according to La Libre.

The impact on enforcement is stark: only 48% of the 13,700 annual ANPR camera flashes are usable by Brussels Fiscalité, the regional tax authority. This means more than half of all traffic enforcement camera data cannot be used for issuing fines or pursuing other enforcement measures.

The problems extend beyond the ANPR network. While approximately 95% of video surveillance cameras used by police zones are operational according to Brussels government figures, the Midi police zone — covering Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht, and Forest — has 20% of its cameras out of service.

Unused Cameras and Wasted Investment

Adding to the dysfunction, 320 surveillance cameras remain unopened in their boxes, purchased in 2022 for the SmartMove urban toll project that was abandoned before implementation. The project, which had already cost approximately 25 million euros when it was shelved in 2023, was designed to introduce a per-kilometer toll system for the Brussels-Capital Region, as reported by L’Avenir.

Political Acknowledgment and Calls for Reform

Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès (MR), who took office in February 2026, acknowledged the scale of the problem. “Work must be done on the camera system in the Brussels Region, to simplify its management, limit the number of stakeholders, and improve the operational rate,” Dilliès told L’Echo, as reported by 7sur7.

The fragmented governance of the camera network — involving Irisnet, Brussels Fiscalité, multiple police zones, and the regional government — has been identified as a key structural weakness contributing to the coordination failures.

A Paradox of Investment

The revelations come at a time of significant investment in Brussels’ surveillance capabilities. In August 2025, the federal government announced a new national ANPR system (ANPR@GPI) to replace the old, unstable platform deployed after the Paris and Brussels terror attacks. Brussels police zones were the first to connect 450 ANPR cameras to the new system starting in September 2025, as RTBF reported.

The investment totals 10.2 million euros over four years, funded by the Road Safety Fund. By November 2025, the first Brussels ANPR cameras were connected to the national ANPR@GPI platform, giving local and federal police access to real-time license plate data for crime-fighting purposes, according to Brussels Today.

Additionally, in December 2025, the federal government allocated 7.5 million euros for Brussels as part of a 25 million euro package for police surveillance cameras nationwide, as RTBF detailed. The need to strengthen the capital’s camera network had been highlighted by Brussels Prosecutor Julien Moinil.

Security Implications

The defective cameras carry significant public safety implications. Brussels has faced considerable security challenges in 2026, including shootings and drug trafficking concerns. ANPR cameras serve multiple critical functions: enforcing the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), monitoring restricted traffic areas, controlling average speed on road segments, and — since the connection to the national platform — supporting police operations against organized crime and drug trafficking.

With 23% of ANPR cameras out of service and only 48% of camera flashes usable for enforcement, the region’s ability to monitor traffic, prevent crime, and respond to incidents is substantially compromised.

What’s Next

Minister-President Dilliès’ acknowledgment that reform is needed signals potential restructuring of how cameras are managed in Brussels. His stated goals — simplifying management, limiting stakeholders, and improving operational rates — suggest an upcoming overhaul of the governance framework.

However, the challenge is considerable. The region must address not only the maintenance backlog of existing cameras but also integrate the newly funded equipment and the 320 unused cameras from the abandoned SmartMove project. As Brussels continues to invest heavily in expanding its surveillance network, the question of whether the management infrastructure can keep pace with the hardware investment remains open.

For residents and policymakers alike, the audit serves as a reminder that technological investment without adequate maintenance and coordination can undermine the very security objectives it aims to achieve.