The Brussels municipality of Saint-Gilles has been hit by a wave of public transport disruptions in recent months, causing great frustration among residents and shopkeepers. The local mayor has now also denounced the "untenable traffic situation".
Several major tram lines in Brussels are currently facing disruptions due to ongoing works, some of which are expected to stretch into April 2027. Tram lines 4, 10, 51, and 81 have been suspended and diverted, and lines 8 and 93, which both run along Avenue Louise in Ixelles, are not serving several stops this summer. Tram line 97 is also temporarily out of service, and bus 50 is being diverted.
The temporary bus 96 is in place to offer an alternative route for several lines, including tram 81 between Trinité and Brussels-Midi, trams 8 and 93 as of 1 June, but has been diverted via Porte de Hal since 29 June due to works on the Barrière roundabout. The disruptions on various lines and the one replacement bus provided have sparked an outcry among Saint-Gilles residents.
Sophie, 30, lives near Horta but travels to Neder-Over-Heembeek in northern Brussels for work each day. The simultaneous works on the 4, 10 and 81 have significantly impacted her daily commute by making it "much longer", she told The Brussels Times.
Last Tuesday evening, it took her roughly 45 minutes to get home after arriving at Brussels-Midi at just past 18:00. When lines 4 and 10 were still running, it would have only taken a few minutes. "It's just inconvenient when you used to take a tram near your house that would take you straight to work," she said.
A photo of the queue for bus 96 at Brussels-Midi station on Tuesday 30 June, taken by Sophie.
"We live in a city with one of the highest tax rates globally and in a commune with access to six tram lines, it is incredibly talented of the authorities to arrange the unavailability of four of those tram lines at the same time," she said.
"They have announced four tram closures, and they are just expecting people to accept this until April 2027? That's unreasonable and shows a shocking lack of forethought."
Sophie sent a complaint to Brussels public transport operator STIB/MIVB, saying she was disappointed that a "better standard of options" had not been given to affected residents.
She is also concerned that the disruptions will result in more cars on the roads – something the Brussels-Capital Region has been actively working against, with new fines for vehicles that breach Low Emission Zone rules and another Car-Free Sunday on the cards.
"As someone who has a corporate job, I could take a corporate car, and this really makes me want to, which is a real shame. Functional public transport is a far better option than individual corporate cars, which is already a big enough problem in Brussels as it is," Sophie said.
"It would be a shame if Saint-Gilles, which is one of the lowest car-owning communes, saw a rise in car ownership because of this."
Cars in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
She would like to see more focus on tram 81 to bring that in earlier, as well as more replacement buses at peak time. "But I would like them to think bigger than buses," she said. "You're just trying to cram the same amount of people into a much smaller space."
GUTIB, the organisation for Brussels public transport users, has also called for additional services on the temporary bus route 96 between Trinité and Brussels-Midi, and for a temporary terminus to be set up at Barrière for tram 81.
"It would be inconceivable to wait until the end of this year 2026, as announced for the restoration of the tram [81]," the organisation stated on 26 June.
No extra replacement buses
However, STIB has said it cannot increase the number of replacement buses. "A bus can also carry far fewer people than a tram, but we cannot deploy any more drivers," STIB spokesperson Guy Sablon told Bruzz on 3 July.
"We are in constant close contact with the city council regarding the situation, but unfortunately there aren't thousands of solutions; otherwise, we would certainly have made use of them. We can only hope that the holidays will mean fewer passengers take the bus, thereby temporarily easing the pressure on the routes."
The Mayor of Saint-Gilles, Jean Spinette (PS), meanwhile, called the various disruptions "an untenable situation" on social media. He is due to meet with Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), STIB and regional agency Brussels Mobility to reassess the diversions for residents and local businesses.
"I am calling for support, because we urgently need to find solutions. "Things cannot go on like this for the residents of Saint-Gilles," Spinette said.
"It is impossible for cyclists and motorists, for local businesses, but also for people using public transport. The situation is often unsafe, and what's more, the diversions change almost daily. I spoke to a chemist who no longer has any customers. In addition, lorries sometimes get stuck in the narrow streets, and that is dangerous."
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The mayor called for communication with residents to be improved, and also criticised the diversion of the temporary bus route 96. "Now, a bus route that is supposed to provide a solution for a diversion is itself being diverted. People can't find the bus stops and no longer understand how to get anywhere," he said.
Sablon underlined that STIB recognises passengers' frustration. "Passengers always need a few days to get to grips with the new diversions. We know it's a bitter pill to swallow, which is why I want to emphasise that we fully understand passengers' frustration," he stressed.
