In 2024, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn paid over €70,000 in fines for Low Emission Zone (LEZ) violations.
This is a significant increase from €2,350 in 2023, according to figures requested by Flemish MP Sarah T'Joens (Vlaams Belang) from Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA).
Previously, fines for De Lijn's unauthorised diesel buses in Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels had been decreasing. In 2019, fines amounted to over €46,000. By 2022, they dropped to €5,900, and further reduced to €2,350 in 2023 for a total of 13 fines.
However, last year saw a sharp increase. In 2024, De Lijn accrued 384 fines, totalling €70,375, with most coming from Antwerp and Ghent. Antwerp's fines rose from nine in 2023 to 155 in 2024, while Ghent's increased from two to 228. In Brussels, De Lijn received just one fine last year.
This year, De Lijn has allocated €11,000 for LEZ fines, according to the minister's response. It remains to be seen if this will be sufficient.
The Euro III buses are scheduled to be replaced throughout this year. By 2026, all these vehicles should be replaced, which should eliminate LEZ fines.
Nonetheless, T'Joens is advocating the immediate abolition of LEZs. "Not only families and commuters suffer from the antisocial LEZ policy, but even the public transport funded by our tax money," she said.
