Stib recovers less than half of its fines

Brussels transport operator Stib issued 72,651 fines to people not possessing valid tickets in 2023, new figures reveal.

These figures represent a 7% increase - 4,866 extra fines - from the previous year, Brussels mobility and public works minister Elke Van den Brandt (Ecolo) said.

Some 54,459 people were fined €107 for a first offence. For the 17,967 repeat offenders, the fine was €214. In addition, anyone caught with fraudulent tickets faced fines of €408 each.

Stib carried out 1.4 million checks across its network in 2023. But despite the massive amount of fines handed out, only half were paid, Van den Brandt told Flemish right-wing party Vlaams Belang MP Dominiek Lootens-Stael in an answer to a written parliamentary question.

Some 40% of fines are paid immediately, Stib said, with slightly less than 10% needing to be collected via a debt collection agency.

“Therefore half the money due from these fines is not seen. This sends the wrong signal not only to honest public transport users, but also to the crook allowed to continue his antisocial behaviour shamelessly,” Lootens-Stael said.

He said Stib was losing hundreds and thousands of euros at a time when substantial investments are ongoing - for the controversial metro line 3, renewing of tram and bus fleets and for the extension of the tram network.

Photo: Thierry Roge/Belga