century. However, as early as during the 15th century, the magistrates of Brussels were leaning on a project of waterway which would connect Brussels and the south of the country. A hundred years later, mining developed in the South, but it was still very difficult to transport the coal to Brussels due to bad roads. The project of the canal came back on the surface, but the wars of religion deferred its realization once again. During the following centuries, various studies were outlined until king Guillaume (Dutch period) decided to take things in hand. The studies and work took place from 1819 until 1832. At the time of its inauguration, the canal was 74 km long and included 55 locks. Its completion also contributed to stop the regular floods of the " Piéton" which regularly cut the accesses between Luttre and Pont-à-Celles. During the 20th century, the canal was widened, and the number of locks was reduced. Railway The station of Luttre, which was called in the beginning “Luttre - Pont-a-Celles”, was inaugurated on October 23, 1843 at the same time of the startup of the connection Charleroi - Luttre - Braine-le-Comte. It became possible to go from Luttre to Brussels by taking the trains connecting Charleroi - Luttre - Braine-le-Comte - Brussels. In 1874, a more direct line (124) was inaugurated between Brussels and Luttre via Waterloo and Nivelles. Since 1998, Luttre is an IC/IR railway station along the line Charleroi-Sud - Brussels - Antwerpen-Centraal. Luttre is served twice an hour by IC (Intercity) trains Charleroi - Nivelles - Brussels - Mechelen - Antwerpen. This means that Luttre is connected every half an hour to Charleroi, Nivelles, Brussels, Mechelen and Antwerpen by a fast train. Luttre is also served every hour by the L (local) train Charleroi - Pont-à-Celles - Manage - Braine-le-Comte, and by another L (local) train Charleroi - Pont-à-Celles - Manage - La Louvière. Motorway The motorway A54 (The caroloregienne) connecting Nivelles and Charleroi has an exit in Luttre, so that Luttre is connected to all major cities via the motorways A54 and E19 in Nivelles or A54 and E42 in Thiméon. The A54 motorway was planned in the 60s and was put into service in late 1969 for the part Thiméon - Gosselies - Charleroi and 1972 for the part Thiméon - Luttre - Nivelles, i.e. at the same time that motorways E19 (Brussels -