This morning, the police took 23 buses off the road because the permits there would not be in order. As a result, all bus lines of the GVB are now out of service in Noord.
The problems came to light during a general control of the police. Among other things, it was examined whether the papers of drivers and the permits of the buses are in order. In particular, the correct permits of the buses were found in many cases, according to the police, who speaks of a ‘remarkable outcome’. A number of drivers also did not have the right papers.
‘Amateurism’
The reason for councilor Farley Asruf to ask the alderman questions in the Mobility, Public Space and Water committee. “If all this is correct, it is a pretty high degree of amateurism. How could this happen and what is the matter?”
That way there were more councilors. “The GVB appears to be driving around in the city like a snorder,” VVD councilor Daan Wijnants suggested. “Not the right papers, not the right permits. That is very serious and we really can’t just let that go on our side.”
The alderman did not yet have many answers. Van der Horst, who emphasized that ‘from her role as chairman of the transport region’, the council members tried to convince that she also takes the situation high. “We are now talking to the GVB about how this could have happened and how we can solve this as quickly as possible. That now has the priority. But we will also sort it out to the bottom, because this cannot and should not happen.”
“Why this way?”
“Something serious has been found here,” says Van der Horst. “Not that there are major safety problems, that is not the case, but it does raise many big questions.”
How is it possible that the police will carry out a check on a fairly obscure permit at a specific station in Noord. The police must therefore have had an indication. “
“With such an action you can lay a whole district flat,” said councilor Elisabeth IJmker (GroenLinks) later. “And public transport in Noord is not optimal. Why in this way? Why does the police have to check it that way and the buses must then be off the road. Of course the permits must be in order. At Schiphol the permits have not been in order for years.”
“Those are questions I have,” said Van der Horst. “The police of course have their own working method, but it is good that we get more information about this.”