The Flemish public transport company De Lijn continues to rack up fines for violations of the low-emission zone (LEZ). In the first six months of this year, it has already paid almost 150,000 euros in fines, more than double the total spent in 2024. De Lijn will also have to pay LEZ fines next year. After all, the transport company will not succeed in replacing the old, polluting diesel buses that violate the LEZ with electric buses in the course of 2026.
From January to June, De Lijn received exactly 911 fines for violations in the LEZ zones of Ghent and Antwerp. The financial impact of these violations amounts to 23,950 euros in Antwerp and 123,350 euros in Ghent. Together, this amounts to no less than 148,300 euros in fines.
240,00 euros
Ghent Alderman Filip Watteeuw (Groen), responsible for Climate and Environment, among other things, finds it incomprehensible that De Lijn commits so many violations. “The LEZ in Ghent was announced at the end of 2015 and was introduced in 2020. So I am surprised that De Lijn is still driving unsuitable vehicles through the LEZ, even though they have known for ten years that this is no longer allowed,” says Watteeuw
He also tells VRT.news that De Lijn has already had to pay 240,000 euros in fines in Ghent alone – ironically, roughly the price of a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E Citaro e-bus.
Mind-boggling
According to Flemish Member of Parliament Sarah T’Joens (Vlaams Belang), who requested the figures, they demonstrate “the absurdity of the current policy.” However, it is also clear that De Lijn has been far too slow to implement greening measures.
“The Flemish government is creating low-emission zones but is unable to regulate its own public transport company, even though it expects citizens to comply. The government then imposes fines on itself, which it pays for with taxpayers’ money. This is not only inefficient, but downright mind-boggling,” says T’Joens.
The De Lijn fleet has 2,250 buses, of which about 70 are electric. In June, 290 electric buses were ordered. The vehicles are expected to be delivered in the last quarter of 2026. The order is in addition to the more than 230 new buses currently being offered.
However, according to De Lijn, the buses are not currently arriving as smoothly as they would like, and they would rather pay a fine than cancel trips. An additional problem for Ghent is a shortage of space at the depot in Gentbrugge, with no room for extra e-buses, as they require charging stations.
