The shuttle bus that runs from Emmen station to the asylum center in Ter Apel will be free. Carrier Qbuzz calls it an ‘important additional measure after an increase in incidents’.
In a press release, the carrier states that it is ‘very concerned’ about the safety of bus drivers and travelers on bus line 73 to and from Ter Apel. The management of Qbuzz Groningen-Drenthe has now drawn the line after a number of ‘impactful and very annoying situations’ for their bus drivers.
The mayors of Westerwolde and Emmen, the public transport agency and Qbuzz had a meeting on Monday in which they discussed the need for additional measures. It has been decided to use the shuttle service as a facility as soon as possible. So that people can travel for free between the asylum center in Ter Apel and Emmen station.
The journeys on line 73 usually go well, the carrier says. But there has been an increase in the number of incidents, as well as their severity.
The shuttle service is organized by the Ministry of Justice and Security in collaboration with both municipalities. The operator of the rides is Drenthe Tours. This means that it concerns private transport, not public transport.
Qbuzz considers it important that residents and visitors of the asylum seekers’ center in Ter Apel can use the shuttle service. The carrier then expects to see relief on the regular Qbuzz lines, including line 73.
“The power lies in the combination of measures,” says Laurence Hovenkamp, director of Qbuzz Groningen-Drenthe. “In my opinion, making the shuttle service freely available is a crucial step to make the entire package a success. A great result of collaboration.”
In addition to this new measure, other measures have also been implemented previously. For example, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) uses so-called hosts who guide travelers from the asylum seeker’s center to the shuttle bus. Supervisors are present at the Emmer station. This was achieved in collaboration with the municipality of Emmen and the public transport agency.
Qbuzz also uses boas on regular scheduled buses. Drivers and boas also temporarily have direct contact with each other through walkie-talkies. The carrier has deployed two additional supervisors for safety on the buses and for access control at the station.