Trade unions are calling on ticket inspectors at Flemish local transport company De Lijn not to carry out any ticket checks in the Antwerp region today. The action follows a serious attack on a ticket inspector at Berchem station in Antwerp on Saturday evening. This morning, the trade unions are meeting with De Lijn’s management for an emergency meeting.
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Passengers without valid tickets attack and injure De Lijn Ticket inspector
Colin Clapson
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The inspector was attacked on Saturday evening, after he had removed several passengers without valid tickets from a bus. According to the trade unions, the men then became aggressive and attacked the victim and his colleagues.
“Our colleague was severely beaten by the attackers,” says trade union representative Jo Van der Herten of the Christian ACV union. “It will take some time before he has fully recovered. But above all, we must not underestimate the psychological impact of such an attack.”
Showing solidarity
According to Van der Herten, the call to temporarily suspend checks today is, first and foremost, an act of solidarity with the affected colleagues. The action is focused primarily on the city of Antwerp.
“Our staff are on duty to support driving staff, but no checks will be carried out,” adds Van der Herten.
At 10 o’clock, the trade unions are holding an emergency meeting with De Lijn’s management. “We want the employer to do more to guarantee the safety of ticket inspectors. De Lijn expects us to raise 30 million euros through ticket inspections.”
“Firstly, that is not a realistic figure, but the pressure on staff is also too great. We are having to carry out these checks with ever-smaller teams. We expect De Lijn to prioritise safety first and the figures second.”
Bodycams on the way?
According to the ACV union, a team of four ticket inspectors is the absolute minimum for a ticket inspection on a bus. Even more staff would be needed on a tram. “The larger the vehicle, the larger the team needs to be.”
In addition, the trade unions are calling for the promised roll-out of bodycams to be implemented as soon as possible. “We are still waiting for a legislative framework. Bodycams will not, of course, solve all problems, but they can act as a deterrent and may be important for the burden of proof afterwards.”
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (Flemish nationalist N-VA) has announced that she is responding to the call for bodycams. She hopes that final federal approval for their use by inspectors and drivers will be granted before the end of this year, so that the roll-out can begin early next year.
In addition, the minister promised that by the end of 2027, all De Lijn buses must be fitted with CCTV. Today, this is already the case for 87 per cent of the buses managed directly by De Lijn and for 96 per cent of buses operated by other operators.