Flemish Minister Faces Backlash Over Special Needs Student Transport Cuts

Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder is under fire from across the political spectrum for her directive to reduce student transport services for special needs education. Both majority and opposition parties in the Flemish parliament have called the minister to account over the decision, which will see De Lijn, the regional transport company, cut services.

Critics contend that De Ridder's uncompromising approach to budget targets, even at the expense of input from consultative bodies and coalition partners, is a recurring pattern. The current controversy centers on De Lijn's budget of 139 million euros for special needs student transport. Despite exceeding this budget last year, the company is now mandated to make further savings, inevitably leading to fewer bus routes, less door-to-door pickup, and extended travel times for students.

This strict adherence to financial discipline, even when it impacts vulnerable populations, has become a hallmark of De Ridder's tenure since September 2024. While her predecessor, Lydia Peeters, had established a guideline of no more than 90 minutes per journey, this was already an informal target for De Lijn and is now further eroded by the new savings measures.

De Ridder, however, defends her stance, stating the Flemish government's commitment to a balanced budget by 2027 necessitates difficult but necessary savings of 1.5 billion euros. She expressed a preference for "waving a bag of money" but acknowledged the fiscal realities driving her decisions. The minister faces a challenging agenda, including further savings at De Lijn starting July 1, the financially contentious Oosterweel connection, and the long-overdue renewal of Flanders' mobility infrastructure.