A young girl that was caught red-handed when fare-dodging last year, appealed against her fine and was let off the hook by a judge due to technicalities.
Home News
Minors cannot be fined by De Lijn when caught fare-dodging, judge rules
Michaël Torfs
Published:
On 9 October 2021, inspection teams checked passengers' tickets on a bus in Merksem (Antwerp) operated by the Flemish public transport company De Lijn. The girl could not present a valid ticket. She claimed that the ticket scanner in the bus was not functioning. Later, a fine of 81 euros arrived in the letterbox at her home. When the fine was not paid, a new fine worth 140 euros followed.
The father appealed against the fine at a juvenile court and won the case last week. The judge argued that De Lijn may have a legal ground to write out tickets to minors, but that the last piece of legislation still needs to be published in Het Staatsblad, the official newsletter published by the Belgian government. As this hasn't happened, the girl was let off the hook.
The Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters told the VRT that everything will be done in order to solve the issue as soon as possible and have everything published in Het Staatsblad. "We knew about the possible legal problem and had legislation adapted. it should have been published in the Staatsblad, but this hasn't happened until now."
The minister added that "fare-dodging is anti-social behaviour" that cannot be tolerated in any way, regardless of the latest ruling.