Belgium - Big increase in passenger numbers
May 28th 2007, 11:04 pm
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Belgium - Big increase in passenger numbers
http://www.flandersnews.be/cm/flandersnews.be/News/070529_de_lijn
Big increase in passenger numbers
Tue 29/05/07 - The Flemish public transport company De Lijn carried a
record number of passengers on its buses and trams during 2006. More
than 460 million passenger journeys were made last year, a rise of 14
million on the figures for 2005.
The figures for the first quarter of 2007 also show an increase of 3.5
million passenger journeys compared with the first quarter of 2006.
The number of passengers using De Lijn's bus and tram services has
more than doubled since 1999.
The rise in the number of season ticket holders is an important
contributory factor to the big increase in passenger numbers.
The Director-General of De Lijn Ingrid Lieten told the VRT that "We
have an increasing number of loyal passengers. More than 383,000
season tickets were in circulation during last year".
A large number of those with season tickets are youngsters. However, a
lot of people also use public transport for their daily commute from
home to work and back again. Ms Lieten says that these are the most
frequent travellers.
In recent years De Lijn has invested in new bus routes as well as
increasing the frequency of its existing services.
The big improvements to the bus services in and around Zaventem
Airport, near Brussels are a good example of this.
The Flemish Government has also significantly increased the level of
subsidies it gives to De Lijn from 270 million euros in 1999 to 660
million in 2007.
While the number of bus services in Flemish Brabant has risen by 6% in
the same period, there has been little if any increase in the number
of services in West Flanders and Antwerp province, where investment
during the 1990's had already seen services improve.
The number of people working for De Lijn and its sub-contractors has
risen to above 10,000.
The Flemish public transport recently announced a programme to
encourage more people from the ethnic minorities, women and the
disabled to join its workforce.
Big increase in passenger numbers
Tue 29/05/07 - The Flemish public transport company De Lijn carried a
record number of passengers on its buses and trams during 2006. More
than 460 million passenger journeys were made last year, a rise of 14
million on the figures for 2005.
The figures for the first quarter of 2007 also show an increase of 3.5
million passenger journeys compared with the first quarter of 2006.
The number of passengers using De Lijn's bus and tram services has
more than doubled since 1999.
The rise in the number of season ticket holders is an important
contributory factor to the big increase in passenger numbers.
The Director-General of De Lijn Ingrid Lieten told the VRT that "We
have an increasing number of loyal passengers. More than 383,000
season tickets were in circulation during last year".
A large number of those with season tickets are youngsters. However, a
lot of people also use public transport for their daily commute from
home to work and back again. Ms Lieten says that these are the most
frequent travellers.
In recent years De Lijn has invested in new bus routes as well as
increasing the frequency of its existing services.
The big improvements to the bus services in and around Zaventem
Airport, near Brussels are a good example of this.
The Flemish Government has also significantly increased the level of
subsidies it gives to De Lijn from 270 million euros in 1999 to 660
million in 2007.
While the number of bus services in Flemish Brabant has risen by 6% in
the same period, there has been little if any increase in the number
of services in West Flanders and Antwerp province, where investment
during the 1990's had already seen services improve.
The number of people working for De Lijn and its sub-contractors has
risen to above 10,000.
The Flemish public transport recently announced a programme to
encourage more people from the ethnic minorities, women and the
disabled to join its workforce.
