The number of people walking on the tracks in the Brussels metro has increased dramatically in recent years. The Brussels local transport company MIVB is having to stop the metro more and more often as a result. "You’re playing with your life by walking on the tracks," says MIVB spokesman Guy Sablon.
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More and more drug users and homeless bringing Brussels metro to a grinding halt
Colin Clapson
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Metro lines 2 and 6 were briefly interrupted between Ribaucourt and Simonis on Wednesday morning as a result of members of the public venturing onto the tracks. The incident triggered delays across the network. Unfortunately it is daily reality on the Brussels metro, says the MIVB.
"The number of people venturing onto the tracks in the Brussels metro has more than doubled over the past five years. It’s a real problem. Not only are people playing with their lives, but we also have to interrupt the metro and that causes a lot of delays" says Sablon.
Double trouble
In 2018, 144 incidents were reported, but by 2023, that figure shot up to 384 occasions on which the metro had to be suspended. The MIVB is trying to tackle the problem, but admits it is not that easy.
"We are looking at technical solutions like alarm systems to detect people walking on the tracks. If we get a notification, we immediately stop metro traffic to ensure there are no casualties. Much more we cannot do," says the spokesman.
The people walking on the tracks are often homeless people or drug users. "They are looking for a space away from the public at large. The problems of drug users and homeless people form a social problem that needs to be addressed in a wider context. We need to make sure that these people stay away from our stations because it is a very dangerous environment. These people should be directed to shelters".