Belga
150 fines per month still being issued for failure to wear a face covering on public transport in Brussels
The Brussels public transport company MIVB is still handing out about 150 fines every month to passengers that fail to wear a face covering. Passengers over the age of 12 are still required to cover their nose and mouth on public transport in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Those caught flouting the rule risk a 250-euro fine.
Although the wearing of face coverings is no longer required at (outdoor) bus and tram stops it is still mandatory aboard vehicles and inside indoor metro stations and underground tram stops.
MIVB’s An Van Hamme told VRT News that "In recent months, we have handed out around 150 fines for not wearing a face covering on public transport."
MIVB says that the vast majority of passengers are still wearing face coverings "Occasionally, there are people who forget because it is no longer mandatory in other places, and they simply don’t have one with them," Ms Van hamme said. "But luckily the majority do wear a face covering”.
MIVB says that the number of fines issued increased during the final months of 2021 and at the beginning of 2022. In February, 139 fines were issued compared with more than 150 in December and January. This is double the number of fines issued each month during the first half of 2021.
The Brussels public transport company is keen to stress that it will continue to carry out checks on the wearing of face coverings for as long as they remain mandatory. "We follow the recommendations of the government in this", the company’s spokeswoman said.
