The deconfinement of the country begins Monday, May 4. And with the resumption of business activity, many workers will have to take public transport. The Belgian railways will expand their supply of trains. STIB and TEC are also adapting. In addition, security measures will also be reinforced with the wearing of the mandatory mask for people 12 years and older.
In the hall of the Gare du Midi, there are those who have already made their arrangements with the wearing of the mask and those who are still wondering about the obligation to wear it. And yet from Monday, May 4, travelers will have no choice: it will have to be worn before even entering all the stations of the country, under penalty of receiving a fine of 250 euros. “There will be regular checks by the police who are really responsible in the first instance for the checks but we will also have our securail agents who will be deployed as much as possible“, said Elisa Roux, spokesman for the SNCB, at the microphone of our journalists Emmanuel Dupond and Gaëtan Lillon.
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Mask required on platforms and on trains. And for those who do not have one, the wearing of a scarf or bandana is authorized. Masks could be sold in distributors or in certain bookstores, but not before next week. Access to the counters will be limited. On board, all seats will be available. “We are not going to mark on the seats, we are really counting on good citizenship. Respecting social distances is a question of collective responsibility“, said Elisa Roux.
Today, the train filling rate is barely 5%, according to SNCB, which says it does not expect a massive influx of travelers from Monday. Nevertheless, rail traffic will resume almost entirely.
At STIB too, there are changes
From Monday 4 May, the rules also change at STIB. The ban on sitting in certain seats has disappeared, as has the limitation on the maximum number of passengers. On the other hand, there is a new instruction: the wearing of the compulsory mask. Agents will also circulate to educate travelers. “Initially, we will focus on raising awareness, reminding people of the obligations and possibly preventing them from accessing vehicles if necessary. But offenders face a fine and our agents can set them up”, Points out François Ledune, spokesperson for the Brussels transport company.
TEC also adapts
With regard to Walloon public transport, the measures are different. The TECs decide to maintain a passenger limitation: 12 passengers maximum in a standard bus and 19 in an articulated bus.
But outside too there will be several rules to respect: customers waiting for their bus or tram will have to wear a mask which they will keep for the whole journey. They will not validate their Mobib card on the bus (but will keep it on them) and will enter the bus from the back. They will be installed on the seats at the rate of one person per seat. It will not be possible to stand or approach the driver.
All of these measures could be reassessed by May 18, the day of gradual return to school.
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