Maasmechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder called for a re-evaluation of bus line 44’s stop at Helix school in Maasmechelen, amid concerns about Spartacus line 2’s accessibility impact.
As VRT News reported, Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder has called for a re-evaluation of the school campus bus stop in Maasmechelen, adding a new layer to the ongoing debate surrounding the HO-project Hasselt-Genk-Maasmechelen, also known as Spartacus line 2.
The original plans have sparked controversy, with the potential removal of a direct bus stop for line 44, which currently provides a crucial link for students travelling to major cities. This has led to concerns about safety and accessibility, as students would be required to walk to a new Hoppin point along a busy road.
What will happen to the line 44 stop at Helix in Maasmechelen?
Following questions from Andy Pieters, Annick De Ridder, the Flemish Minister of Mobility, addressed worries about the school bus stop in Maasmechelen, Belgium. She agreed that line 44 might not stop at the school anymore under the current plans. But, because people are worried and the stop is important for students, the minister wants to look at it again.
They’ll check if the plans keep students safe and make it easy for them to get around. Pieters is happy the minister is willing to change the plans, saying that projects like Spartacus need to work well for everyone, especially students.
Annick De Ridder says,
“The Helix is an important school campus with great potential for travellers. The planned change caused a lot of concerns among travellers.”
Annick De Ridder said there will be a new look at how easy it is to get to the school in Maasmechelen by public transport. This will be done by De Lijn and the school together. They will check what students and staff need from line 44, which might change because of the Spartacus line 2 plan.
Andy Pieters, from the same political party, said it’s important to check everything carefully. He thinks it doesn’t make sense if a big school like Helix, with lots of students and teachers, can’t easily get to cities like Hasselt and Genk. He also said that if too many people can’t get there, they’ll have to change things to make it better.
According to officials, the problem is that the original plan for Spartacus wanted to stop line 44 from stopping at the school. Instead, people would have to go to a nearby place called ‘Maasmechelen Centrum’. Although some buses, like line 63, will still stop at the school, it’s not the same as the busy line 44.
A new stop was added earlier to help people in another part of Maasmechelen. De Lijn, the bus company, hasn’t officially been asked to look again at the plan yet, but they said they will. Officials mentioned that the next few weeks are important to see if the Spartacus plan will make it easier to get around.
