It was again very busy in Antwerp due to the many Dutch people, which resulted in hallucinatory images in Antwerp Central — © rr
—
Just like Monday, traffic came to a complete standstill in and around Antwerp today. This is due to the many Dutch people who come to shop here now that non-essential businesses are closed in their own country. Police are calling for parking outside the city. Provincial governor Cathy Berx asks that everyone takes responsibility and currently calls shopping tourism from the Netherlands “counterproductive and unwise.” Around closing time of the shops in Antwerp Central, it was hard to get a seat on the train to the Netherlands. Berx asks for measures.
–
It was so busy on Tuesday afternoon that the police even had to guide traffic to the P&R car parks outside the city. “Because the streets in the city center became oversaturated and parking garages were full, traffic was guided to the slates and thus to the P&R car parks. For the coming days, we also ask that you do not drive into the city by car, but park on the outskirts,” said police spokesman Wouter Bruyns.
© rr
–
It was also remarkably busy in the Central Station. There too many Dutch people who came for a day shopping in Antwerp. The NMBS had to deploy additional security personnel. “Securail got help from the Federal Railroad Police. Since this afternoon, the Dutch Railways (NS) have also advised against taking the train from the Netherlands to Antwerp or Ghent,” says Dimitri Temmerman.
–A full train to the Netherlands in Antwerp Central — © Joris Herregods
–
Here is inserted content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
–
“It gives a very wry feeling that people are avoiding measures in their own country by going elsewhere. The measures thus lose all effectiveness and the infections in both countries will continue to rise. Many people close together, let that be the ideal context for the virus and infections and then be for extra pressure on healthcare. You would think that everyone has gradually understood and still tries to be careful. The measures in the Netherlands are there to avoid increasing the pressure on healthcare. That this is happening now shows little respect for that sector. It is very unwise and shows little solidarity,” says Antwerp governor Cathy Berx.
When asked whether there is anything that can be done about it, she says that she is legally and legally powerless. “We can only strictly control the use of the Covid Safe Ticket, mouth mask obligation, leaving catering establishments on time, adhering to the rule of 6 per table, avoiding crowded places…and hope that people use their common sense in the next days.”
–© Joris Herregodts
–
Prime Minister Mark Rutte also called on the Dutch at the beginning of last week not to travel to Belgium or Germany if it is not absolutely necessary. He emphasized that the advice of the cabinet and the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) is to have as little contact with others as possible.
ALSO READ. The Dutch continue to cross the border en masse this week: “It gives a bad feeling”
It was not only in Antwerp that it was ‘abnormally busy’, people could also walk over the heads in Ghent and in Maasmechelen Village. And there too, especially Dutch number plates in the streets and in the parking lots. It promises for the coming days and for the bargain period. In the Netherlands, the hard lockdown will last at least until January 14.
—
