March 29, 2024

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Traffic jam up to N16 for Malinas: Police close access road at noon ... (Mechelen)

Traffic jam up to N16 for Malinas: Police close access road at noon … (Mechelen)

The biggest Albert Heijn in Flanders is one of the most eye-catching in Malinas. © AH

Micklin

Malinas’ opening weekend is attracting a lot of attention. So much so that police had to block the access road to Mechelen’s new shopping park on Saturday. At one point there was a traffic jam until the N16.

Sven van Heisendonk

Malinas, a retail park with names like Albert Heijn XL, Lidl and Jysk, opened its doors to the public last Thursday. Many people came right away, but with the extended weekend, the shopping park attracts more visitors. On a Saturday afternoon, the car park of nine hundred places was quite full which made him feel like it. At first, cars were still queued on the service road, but a little later also on the N16.

Read also: Malinas fully open guarantees full parking and crowded shopping carts

“Everyone wants to come and see”

Because the traffic flow was compromised, the police took action at 2:30 p.m. “Our staff have contacted the manager of the retail complex,” said Dirk van de Sande, a police spokesman for Mechelen Willbrook. Then it was decided to close Nora Telian, the access road to Malinas, for about an hour.

Malinas, a few weeks before opening.

Malinas, a few weeks before opening. © Joris Heregoods

“At about 3.30pm there was enough oxygen again to allow traffic into the shopping park again,” says Van de Sande. In Malinas, they were not surprised by the large crowd. “If there isn’t a lot of interest during the opening weekend, we should be concerned,” says Jean Du Bois of Mitsca Rim, owner of Malinas. “Everyone wants to come take a look and the weather may play a role as well.”

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“Enough space”

The parking lot was crowded, but according to Du Bois, it didn’t feel crowded in the shops themselves. “Nineteen Maneblusser City’s shops and restaurant have enough space to accommodate many visitors,” says Du Bois. The shopping park encourages visitors from Mechelen to come by bike. There are four hundred covered bike sheds. The Malinas can be easily reached by bike from Vrouwvliet Road via a bridge and via a tunnel from the tow lane along Dijle.

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You can combine a visit to the Malinas with the historic center of Mechelen. The car-free shopping streets have plenty of great shops and establishments catering to local merchants. You have a taste of De Vleeshalle market there and recently the most beautiful city cinema in Flanders was created in the city center, Cinema Lumière Mechelen.

There is also a weekly market on Saturday mornings and a free shopping transfer from P&R Nekker on Saturdays and Sundays for shopping. The center can be easily reached by train.