De Lijn and police strike a deal for Rue du Progrès

De Lijn has adjusted its parking outside of North Station, following complaints by the Brussels police. The Flemish transport authority moved its buses out of the station’s underground tunnel starting yesterday, due to the homeless migrant situation.

The problem wasn’t picking up and dropping off passengers, but with the parked buses along Rue du Progrès. Previously, in the tunnel, drivers stopped to load and unload passengers but also parked the buses there when taking lunch or short breaks between trips. Because North Station is at the end of the line, drivers usually park there for 10 minutes or more before taking off again.

That was causing back-ups on the bus stops at Rue du Progrès, which police said was not just annoying but a dangerous situation. Both cars and pedestrians had to manoeuvre their way through the line of buses.

De Lijn has agreed to use Rue du Progrès only to drop off passengers (they board on Place Rogier) and then to move on to the tunnel if they need to park. The police were satisfied with this agreement.

The move outside the station did not cause too much confusion among passengers, according to a De Lijn spokesperson. “We have had few complaints or questions,” Astrid Hulhoven of De Lijn told VRT. “We had staff at the station to answer passengers’ questions, and they have confirmed that it is going smoothly, that the passengers are aware of the move.”

De Lijn has also closed its sales point in the tunnel at North Station. It is the only dedicated De Lijn ticket outlet in the capital, but tickets can be purchased on buses as well as online. De Lijn also accepts text message payments, and the Stib Mobib card can be used on De Lijn buses in Brussels.

Photo: No more ‘pauze’ on Rue du Progrès: De Lijn drivers resign themselves to the tunnel at North Station for their breaks
©Nils Quintelier/BELGA