Brussels ombuds exhorts MIVB/STIB to tackle metro noise

The Brussels ombudsman office wants MIVB/STIB to curb noise pollution caused by defective wheels on M7 subway trains. The appeal comes after an investigation following a complaint from a resident of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert/Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe about noise pollution from the metro.

According to Ombuds Brussels, the MIVB/STIB, the future Brussels government, and the public institution Brussels Environment must restore the balance between efficient public transport and a healthy living environment.

Not subject to noise standards

The investigation results show that some M7 subway trains, put into service in July 2021, cause noise pollution on lines 1 and 5. This noise nuisance is caused by defective wheels.

The so-called ‘impact noise’ caused by those defective wheels is not yet subject to noise standards – unlike the noise caused by vibrations from the subway, for example.

Clear deadline

The ombudsperson service has now asked the public transport company to set a clear deadline for replacing the defective wheels. It also urges MIVB/STIB to urgently implement interim measures to curb the nuisance, such as a possible metro delay during the night. Brussels Environment must conduct regular acoustic studies.

Specific wheels

MIVB/STIB is aware of the problem but has no clear prospects for replacing and repairing the defective wheels. The problem is that the wheels wear out and flatten too quickly. “We fully understand the residents’ complaints and are looking for a supplier who can provide us with new custom wheels,” indicates MIVB/STIB spokesperson Guy Sablon.

But the search for new wheels is not as simple as it seems. Metro networks in different cities operate with different technologies. The metro in Paris, for example, uses a different system than in Brussels. Suppliers must provide wheels that are explicitly sized for the Brussels metro trains.

Sablon points out that several tests are underway with different suppliers. MIVB/STIB argues that improvements can be made by taking temporary measures, such as grinding the tracks and wheels to combat impact noise.

To clarify, in Paris, some metro trains run on rubber wheels. This was long seen as the perfect solution to reduce the noise produced by the trains and increase passengers’ comfort. But although these tires have a higher rolling resistance than traditional steel railway wheels, they are generally considered less energy and have a higher maintenance and manufacturing cost.

‘Particularly complex’

Brussels Environment recalls, “MIVB/STIB and NMBS/SNCB, as public companies managing an essential public service, could not be subjected to legal regulations with possible sanctions that would undermine their operation.”

Moreover, the issue of structural noise is “particularly complex” to put into a regulatory framework. “To our knowledge, no country in the world regulates this nuisance by law because it depends on too many factors, not all of which are within the reach of those who cause it.”