Zegel (Antwerp premetro station)

Zegel
Location	Belgium
Coordinates	51°12′51″N 04°26′34″E / 51.21417°N 4.44278°E / 51.21417; 4.44278
Operated by	De Lijn
Construction
Structure type	underground
Platform levels	2
History
Opened	18 April 2015 (2015-04-18)
Services
Preceding station   De Lijn   Following station Astrid toward Zuid Tram route 8 Muggenberg toward Schotensteenweg Astrid toward P+R Schoonselhof Tram route 10 Muggenberg toward Wijnegem
Location
Zegel Location within the Antwerp premetro network

Zegel is a station in the Antwerp premetro network. The station was opened on April 18, 2015 and lies under the Turnhoutsebaan near the crossing with the Sint-Jansstraat, in the Borgerhout district. The station is serviced by tram routes 8 and 10.

Current situation

It is the last station in the eastern premetro tunnel before it splits in a northern and a more southern trajectory. Due to this, the station has two 60 meter long platforms, lying on top of each other, of which the platform for outward trams, away from the city centre, is the deepest.

The station can be entered by a 200 meter long entrance hall, and two above ground entrances, one near the Zegelstraat crossing, the other near the Sint-Janstraat crossing.

History

For more than thirty years, it was one of the ghost stations in the unopened eastern axis of the premetro network under the Carnotstraat and Turnhoutsebaan, also called the Reuzenpijp. Works started in 1977, but due to budgetary problems, construction works on the premetro tunnel had to be stopped in 1981, and could not be resumed in the following years, leaving the station unused, with most of its infrastructure already finished. The station was originally intended for use by routes 10 and 24, which used the above ground tracks on the Turnhoutsebaan.

On April 3, 2008, minister of public works Hilde Crevits answered in response to a parliamentary question from Ludwig Caluwé that either Drink or Zegel station would be opened as a part of the Pegasusplan, which included the opening of the eastern premetro axis between Astrid station and its southern entrance at the Herentalsebaan.^[1] Eventually, it was decided to open Zegel station, because of its better connection possibilities with other bus and tram routes in the local public transport network.

On December 19, 2012, the Flemish government ratified the LIVAN project, which included the opening of the eastern premetro tunnel, Zegel station, and an above ground tram extension to Wommelgem, to be financed as a public–private partnership, as proposed by minister of mobility and public works Hilde Crevits.^[2] In March 2013, works on the LIVAN project started.^[3]

On April 18, 2015, both the eastern premetro tunnel and Zegel station were officially opened. The station is since then serviced by the newly created tram route 8, running between Astrid station near Antwerp central station, and the Wommelgem P+R.^[4]

On April 18, 2017, tram route 10 joined route 8 in the Reuzenpijp. This was originally planned to happen on June 3, coinciding with the opening of the western tunnel entrance of the Reuzenpijp, but was sped up by growing delays due to major traffic works above ground.

Future

In September or October 2017, the opening of the north-eastern tunnel entrance of the Reuzenpijp (including station Foorplein as an emergency exit), should allow route 10 to enter the eastern pre-metro axis without its current detour around the Rivierenhof park.

References

External links

• www.delijn.be, the operator of all public city transport in Antwerp and Flanders.