Brussels inner ring reopens after accident at Léonard junction

Updated 17 August 2026 — Traffic is moving again on Brussels’ inner ring after an accident blocked the roadway at the Léonard junction earlier on Monday, according to reports from BX1, La Libre and La DH. The three French-language outlets reported that the obstruction had been removed and vehicles were once again able to pass through the affected section.

The incident disrupted the inner ring at one of the main road connections on the south-eastern edge of Brussels. The published reports did not identify the people or vehicles involved, give a precise time for the collision, or provide verified information about injuries. They also did not state how long the roadway was blocked. Those details therefore remain unconfirmed.

The Léonard junction carries the R0 Brussels ring across the E411 motorway linking Brussels with Namur. The Flemish Traffic Centre says the R0’s Léonard tunnel is 355 metres long and that inner-ring traffic through it travels towards Waterloo. An obstruction at this interchange affects motorists moving between the eastern ring, the E411 and the southern approaches to Brussels.

The reopening ends the immediate blockage, although congestion can take time to clear after lanes become available again. BX1’s latest headline confirmed that circulation was again possible; motorists should consult the Federal Police traffic-information service or the Flemish Traffic Centre’s real-time map before travelling, as both services update road conditions continuously.

Drivers should also distinguish Monday’s accident from scheduled tunnel maintenance. The Flemish Traffic Centre lists planned night closures elsewhere in the Léonard and Quatre-Bras tunnel system during the week of 17 August. Its current schedule places a Quatre-Bras outer-ring closure on Monday night, followed by other maintenance closures later in the week. Those works are separate from the accident reported at the Léonard junction.

No further police account of the accident’s cause or consequences had been published in the sources reviewed for this update. The next relevant development will be any official clarification about the vehicles involved, possible injuries and whether residual delays have fully cleared.