Vilvoorde (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On February 12, 2025, Mayor Jo De Ro launched a safety operation at Vilvoorde Station involving police, Securail, and De Lijn. They checked 2,674 passengers, fined 50 drivers, and arrested 4 individuals for drugs and weapons.
On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, a big operation took place at Vilvoorde Station. This was part of a plan by Mayor Jo De Ro to improve safety and reduce problems at the station. Many groups worked together, including local and federal police, Securail, De Lijn, the public prosecutor’s office, and the city of Vilvoorde.
According to officials, the main goals were to check for fare evasion, find drugs, and look for illegal weapons in the station area. They also wanted to make sure everyone followed the rules for train stations and public transport. This operation aimed to keep passengers safe and maintain order for everyone using the station.
What measures are being taken to improve safety at Vilvoorde station?
The operation involved different agencies working together to check passengers and vehicles at random. Officials mentioned that this made it harder for people who do not pay fares or carry illegal items to go unnoticed. Enforcing the rules for the station and public transport was important to ensure everyone followed them and help keep things safe.
Police spokesperson Catherine Bodet reported that residents and travellers have noticed many problems at Vilvoorde Station and the nearby Hanssenspark area. These problems include people using drugs openly, fake fights, real fights, public drunkenness, and reckless driving with e-scooters.
He mentioned that these issues have raised safety concerns, prompting local authorities to take action. The disturbances affect the daily lives of those living and working nearby and make it uncomfortable and unsafe for commuters and visitors.
“We receive daily reports from residents and travellers regarding nuisance at Vilvoorde station and around Hanssenspark,”
Says police spokesperson Catherine Bodet.
The police took action to deal with the problems at Vilvoorde Station. They checked 2,674 passengers and found 320 without valid tickets. 50 drivers got fines for not following signs at bus stops meant for De Lijn vehicles only. The police also arrested 3 people for drug possession and one for having a banned weapon.
The police spokesperson says.
“Fifty drivers were fined by the police for ignoring the prohibition sign ‘except De Lin’ at the bus stops. Three people were caught in possession of drugs and one person owned a prohibited weapon.”
Mayor Jo De Ro has announced new plans to improve safety at Vilvoorde Station and Hanssenspark. The police will carry out regular surprise operations with help from local and federal teams, Securail, De Lijn, and the public prosecutor’s office. These operations will check for fare evasion, drugs, and banned weapons. The goal is to enforce rules and make the area safer for everyone who uses the station and public transport.
Mayor De Ro has stressed the need for more police presence in the area. There are plans to use plainclothes officers to watch for and stop illegal activities quietly. By having these officers blend in, the police hope to catch offenders more easily and make people feel safer.
