Half of public transport fines in Brussels go unpaid
The Brussels transport operator STIB issued more than 70,000 fines for people travelling without a valid ticket last year, but half of them remain unpaid.
The information was given in parliament by Brussels Mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt of Flemish greens Groen, in response to a question from Vlaams Belang MP Dominiek Lootens-Stael on Friday.
Inspectors checked around 1.4 million passengers on the STIB network in 2023, issuing 72,651 fines. The figure is a 7 per cent increase on the previous year. Most were fines of 107 euros for a first offence, while 17,967 repeat offenders were fined 212 euros and 225 people were fined 408 euros for travelling on a forged ticket.
Of the fines issued last year, 40 per cent were paid directly to the operator and just under 10 per cent were collected via a bailiff.
“Half of the fines issued are not collected, which sends the wrong signal to honest travellers, but also to fare-dodgers, who can continue their antisocial behaviour,” Lootens-Stael said.
File image © BELGA PHOTO DAVID STOCKMAN
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