The escalators in Brussels metro stations stop moving about 280 times per day, on average.
The metro stations that experience the most issues are Yzer/IJzer, Ribaucourt and Comte de Flandre/Graaf van Vlaanderen, according to the answer to a question that Brussels MP Françoise Schepmans asked in the Parliament, reports Bruzz.
The metro stations have 578 escalators in total, as all but a few stations are equipped with them.
"The escalators of the Comte de Flander station are often broken on Thursdays, on the day of the market in Molenbeek. Almost every week, you can see people with a caddie or elderly people climbing and descending the stairs in a dangerous way," said Schepmans.
La mauvaise habitude est malheureusement respectée: ce jeudi, jour de marché à Molenbeek, l'escalator est en panne à la station Comte de Flandre au grand dam des usagers... @STIBMIVB pic.twitter.com/cr1uB9aGx7
— Françoise Schepmans (@fschepmans) January 9, 2020
Translation of tweet: "The bad habit is unfortunately respected: this Thursday, market day in Molenbeek, the escalator broke down at the Count of Flanders station, to the great displeasure of the users..."
The escalators of the Yzer and Ribaucourt stations often malfunction due to vandalism, the ones at Gare du Nord/Noordstation, Parc/Park and De Brouckère because they are old, and the ones at Anneessens, Comte de Flandre and Clemenceau due to "nearby intense commercial activities."
On average, about 60 defective escalators require the intervention of a technician. For the other 220 that do not need a technician, escalators usually stop due to the incorrect use of the stop button, which can be reactivated automatically. However, the defect escalators that require technicians will gradually disappear, as they will be replaced.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
