National strike action by socialist trade union ABVV means nearly 6 out of 10 De Lijn bus services will not be operating today. It is passengers in East Flanders in particular that will feel the effect of the action.
Strike at Flemish bus company De Lijn causes disruption, targets EU politicians
Colin Clapson
Published:
With less than a week to go till the elections, the socialist union says it wants to ‘send a final signal to people’. The union’s protest targets what it calls European austerity plans. Strike actions are planned in Bruges, Brussels, Aalst, Genk, Namur, Mons and Liège and passengers will feel the consequences.
De Lijn has worked out what to expect, based on data from workers willing to turn up to work. Across Flanders, an average of 57 per cent of all buses and trams will not be running, says De Lijn. That's just under 6 out of 10 buses and trams.
The greatest inconvenience is expected in the Province of East Flanders, where just under half of the buses and trams will run. In the East Flanders capital Ghent, the figure is only 30 per cent are running.
Disruption is also expected at the Walloon public transport company TEC. MIVB public transport in Brussels should not be affected and trains should also run as normal.
Route planner experiences glitches
Overall, cities should be affected more than rural areas. An alternative timetable has been worked out, says De Lijn, so buses will run on all routes, but travellers should expect disruption.
The alternative timetable has been incorporated into De Lijn’s route planner on its website and app. Passengers are advised to check the route planner in advance to make sure the bus or tram they want to take will be running. On Monday morning De Lijn announced that there were some glitches on the route planner.
Passenger association TrainTramBus says the strike action is unacceptable. "With all due respect for the right to strike and for the concerns of the socialist union: it is neither the passengers nor De Lijn who decide on these cuts that may be threatening the country. Aiming arrows at ordinary workers, schoolchildren and citizens shows weakness. It is they who suffer the full extent of the impact of this action, not the decision-makers in European institutions."