Kortrijk Adds Two Extra Bus Trips After Protests

Residents of Kortrijk's sub-municipalities Rollegem and Bellegem will see an increase in bus services starting September 1, with two additional trips added during peak hours on the route connecting them to the city center. This change comes after significant local protest, including a petition with over 1,000 signatures, against the reduced bus frequency implemented under a new cost-saving transport plan by De Lijn.

Initially, the service was cut to just three trips per day, causing considerable inconvenience. While the two new peak-hour trips are a welcome development, they are not a direct result of the petition submitted just days prior. City officials, including Mobility Alderman Trui Steenhoudt, noted that discussions with De Lijn had been ongoing for weeks. Steenhoudt expressed satisfaction with the outcome, calling the effort to reinstate these two trips a significant undertaking.

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We had to move heaven and earth to bring these 2 trips back to life.

The added trips will be incorporated into the existing Line 101, which had been covering the Rollegem-Kortrijk connection during peak times. The new schedule will include an extra morning trip from Rollegem to Kortrijk at 9:25 a.m. and an afternoon trip from Kortrijk to Rollegem at 3:40 p.m. This adjustment aims to reduce waiting times for commuters. However, the article points out that the bus schedule remains impractical for those needing to travel for short daytime activities, as a return trip from Kortrijk would still involve a long wait until the late afternoon.

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This is a first effective step towards a positive evolution.