If the Flemish Government does not release an extra €100 million a year for public transport service De Lijn, the company will raise its ticket prices, said Director-General Ann Schoubs.
Coinciding with the introduction of De Lijn's new – and heavily criticised – transport plan that will see about 3,800 bus stops disappear, Schoubs announced that the company needs more money. The Flemish Government has frozen fares for 2023 and 2024, but De Lijn continues to push for price increases, stating that inflation has pushed up costs significantly.
"We have made a fare framework proposing [price increases], but it has not yet been approved at the Flemish level," Schoubs told Het Laatste Nieuws on Monday. "However, we need to get that done as soon as possible. We have even already received the comment from the Inspectorate of Finance that we need to index our rates."
Following the 2019 management agreement, De Lijn has gained more freedom to set its fares and offers, such as making a bus ticket more expensive during peak hours, for example. For a general price increase, however, the company requires the Flemish Government's approval.
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In the meantime, Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon made it clear that his government will not allocate more money for the Flemish public transport company. Speaking on Flemish radio, he laconically dismissed the request for additional funds: "I will make you a list of all the services in Flanders that request additional funds. The budgets for De Lijn are fixed."
Still, an increase in bus ticket prices is also out of the question, Jambon said. "A management agreement has been drawn up, also about ticket prices. I suggest that this should be respected."
