After an incident in Bruges: all De Lijn driver’s stations will be lockable
In Bruges, a De Lijn bus driver was attacked by a passenger last Thursday. The driver was able to notify his employer via the emergency button and some passengers on the bus called the police. The man suffered an eye socket fracture and will be unable to work until at least the end of the month. “With the new buses, it is foreseen that a complete closure is possible,” said Lydia Peeters on Wednesday. “At the same time, they will also roll out the existing buses.”
What about subcontractors?
According to Peeters, it can be a permanent fence, but a flexible system is also possible. “Whereby one can get a closure by pressing a button,” said the minister. She did point out that half of the buses are in the hands of subcontractors of De Lijn and they make their own choices. “But I assume that they also do everything they can to ensure that their drivers can move travelers safely,” said Peeters. “I count on you to accelerate this, in the interest of the safety of travelers and drivers.”