The Flemish transport company De Lijn is under fire for the chaotic introduction of the fourth phase of the 'basic accessibility' project.
Instead of improvements, travellers are mainly experiencing confusion due to new line numbers, changed routes and timetables, while a significant number of journeys are also being cancelled. PV Magazine, a leading digital platform on passenger transport, reports that most changes are taking place in regions such as Leuven, Mechelen, Antwerp and the Flemish periphery. Elsewhere, mainly minor adjustments are being implemented, with an expansion of flexible transport. However, the implementation of the plans seems far from flawless.
According to the passenger organisation TreinTramBus, De Lijn is still struggling with fundamental problems, such as a shortage of roadworthy buses, maintenance personnel and drivers. Passenger organisation chairman Peter Meukens states that De Lijn is failing its customers. “The provision of information is a complete disaster. Passengers have the right to clear and correct information, and that is nowhere to be found now.”
information provision
For many travellers, the start of the new phase came as a surprise. PV Magazine reports that many bus lines have been given new numbers and follow different routes. However, many stops still have old signs and the new timetables are missing. According to Meukens, this mainly causes problems for vulnerable groups. “Not everyone has a smartphone or access to mobile internet. Think of young pupils, the elderly and people with disabilities. They are completely ignored in this story,” he says.
Although De Lijn started the campaign 'text first, then get on' wants to encourage travellers to use their app and website, according to Meukens that is not enough. “On Monday morning the app was down several times or did not provide real-time information. That is unacceptable, especially if you trust that technology offers the solution.”
At major bus hubs, where passengers often need help, there were no stewards who could support them. “Passengers were literally left to their own devices,” says Meukens. “And Lijn shops that only open after the morning rush hour obviously offer no help at all for people who have to leave early.”
“De Lijn must take responsibility and quickly put its house in order,” Meukens emphasizes. “The current situation is untenable and is causing more and more people to drop out of public transport.”
De Lijn has been struggling for months with a shortage of staff and technical maintenance, leading to frequent service cancellations. To relieve the pressure, the company has decided to temporarily cancel 2,5 percent of the journeys. However, PV Magazine and TreinTramBus criticize this approach for the poor communication and lack of strategy.
Meukens points to examples of poorly thought-out deletions. “In Ostend, city line 3 now runs less frequently, meaning that passengers no longer have a connection to the train. That is simply bad planning.” Also in Hasselt, where bus line 50 runs every hour all day, around 15.30:XNUMX p.m. – just when schools let out – there is suddenly no more bus. “For students who depend on public transport, this is disastrous,” says Meukens.
In addition, last-minute service cancellations remain a major problem, partly due to the shortage of maintenance technicians and drivers. “Buses often stand still in places where they are not needed, or drive unnecessary empty kilometers due to poorly organized replacements,” says Meukens.
improvement remains absent
The basic accessibility project was once launched with the promise of making public transport more efficient and accessible. But according to PV Magazine and TreinTramBus, that promise has not yet been fulfilled. Travelers mainly experience more inconvenience and confusion, while structural problems remain.
