Public transport to shut down during general strike in Belgium
BRUSSELS, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — Belgium’s main public transport company, STIB, announced on Thursday that it would cease operations during the planned general strike in the country on Dec. 15.
STIB operates bus, underground and tram networks in the Belgian capital.
Its sister company De Lijn, which operates services in the northern Flanders region of the country, also said on Thursday that it would not run services during the strike.
The general strike is the cumulation of a series of regional strikes that have hit Belgium since November in response to the government’s economic policies.
Public services, such as transport and postal services, have been severely curtailed by the ongoing industrial actions, which have also read to some commercial zones. Public transport, while not completely stopped, has been operating on a limited service during the strikes.
According to a statement released by STIB on Thursday, the company still hopes to run certain vehicles on key routes. At this point, it is advising travellers to seek alternative transport for the day. However, the company said it will announce further developments before Monday’s planned action.