Safety concerns mean no Christmas tram services will operate in Antwerp, Ghent or on the Flemish coast this December. Flemish local transport operator De Lijn says safety cannot be guaranteed. In May, fire broke out on an historic tram in Ghent during a parade. One person was injured.
It's rather sad. No historic Christmas trams will operate in Flanders this Christmas. De Lijn’s historic trams are only brought out of the depot for special occasions. Last time this happened, in May during a parade to celebrate ‘150 years of trams’, one of the historic vehicles caught fire and somebody was injured. As a result De Lijn decided to stop all historic tours for the time being.
The transport company ordered a report into the safety of operating historic trams. Last summer it emerged that there was a technical problem with old trams operating on new overhead cabling. ‘The tram that caught fire in Ghent hadn't run for years. It had been checked, but not sufficiently adapted,’ says Kris Zontrop of Heritage Tram-Bus, one of the heritage associations that runs the rides together with De Lijn.
The transport company is reviewing its entire approach and that’s an operation that won’t be complete in time for this year’s festive season. ‘We want to restore historic trams and return them to near-mint condition; it has to be done thoroughly. Safety above all else,’ says Frederik Wittock of De Lijn.
De Lijn and its partners will map out which vehicles can be used and how often they should run. ‘We no longer lump everything together. More recent vehicles can handle a few more trips than the older ones. That goes without saying. Tram drivers will also get special training,’ Zontrop stresses.