A strike by drivers that are unhappy at proposals to close a number of bus depots, is causing serious disruption to bus services in the north and east of Antwerp Province. Drivers at the Mol, Turnhout, Broechem, Westerlo, Rumst and Oostmalle depots have downed tools in protest at De Lijn’s proposals to close two depots in the Kempen area of Antwerp Province.
Few if any busses are available on many routes that serve towns and villages such as Geel, Mol, Turnhout and Westerlo. De Lijn advises passengers to check the company’s site www.delijn.be or its app for the latest update on which services are running and which are not.
At some of the depots it is not the first time that strike action has been taken. Drivers from the Kempen area are displeased with De Lijn’s plans to close the Westerlo and Mol depots. Although the depot closures will not lead to any redundancies they will mean that some bus drivers will have to travel further to work than is currently the case.