After months of disrupted service, Bruxelles-Propreté (the Brussels agency responsible for public cleaning) resumed its rounds in the Brabant district on Thursday – under the supervision of Schaerbeek community guards.
At the end of June, Bruxelles-Propreté decided to stop its cleaning rounds in the Brabant quarter in the North of Brussels because its staff were regularly attacked. The area has a long history of poverty and homelessness, along with periodic insecurity and violence. This is largely caused by drug gangs operating in the area.
Specifically, it concerns the Rue de Brabant, Rue d'Aerschot, Rue de Cologne, Rue de Quatrecht, Rue Rogier, Rue d'Hoogvorst, Rue Allard, Rue de Potter and Rue Liedts.
Pilot project
Bruxelles-Propreté therefore asked the Schaerbeek authorities to provide extra security. A private company was called in, which led to a dispute between the municipality and Bruxelles-Propeté about who should pay the invoice.
In the meantime, the municipality and the agency reached an agreement to start a six-month pilot project: Bruxelles-Propreté will resume its rounds accompanied by Schaerbeek community guards. The project starts today (Thursday), Bruzz reports.
The aim is to approach people calmly and to make them more aware of cleanliness to tackle the problems of "uncivil behaviour," insecurity and cleanliness in a concrete way. At the end of the pilot project, Bruxelles-Propreté and Schaerbeek hope to be able to formulate recommendations for sustainable measures to improve the situation in the North District in terms of cleanliness and safety.
