De Lijn Halts Christmas Trams in Ghent Due to Fire Safety Concerns Post-May 2024

Ghent (Eurotoday): De Lijn has canceled the Christmas trams this year because of safety issues after a fire in May 2024 that caused injuries. Many people are disappointed, but safety is the priority. Kris Zontrop from Erfgoed Tram-Bus is helping to check and update the old trams before they can run again.

De Lijn, the public transport company in Flanders, has said that the nostalgic Christmas trams will not run this year because of safety issues. These vintage trams are usually used for special occasions, but a fire during a parade in May 2024 raised concerns about their safety. The fire caused an injury and has made people worry about the reliability of these old trams.

Why did De Lijn suspend historic tram tours in Ghent following safety concerns?

De Lijn has decided to stop all tours with the historic trams until further notice after the fire incident. Many people are disappointed because they look forward to these festive rides during the holidays, but the company said that the safety of passengers and staff is their top priority. The historic trams will remain out of service until they can ensure safety, avoiding risks with these cherished but old vehicles.

De Lijn found a problem with the old trams after a report last summer. Kris Zontrop from Erfgoed Tram-Bus said the tram that caught fire in Ghent hadn’t been used for years and wasn’t updated for new lines. Now De Lijn is checking everything again, so they won’t be ready by the end of the year as planned. They want to ensure the historic trams are safe and in good shape. They will decide which trams can run and how often, treating newer and older trams differently, and they are also changing how tram drivers are trained.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Italy’s Drug Prevention Campaign Distributes Over One Million Booklets in One Month

Italy’s Drug Prevention Campaign Distributes Over One Million Booklets in One Month

PRESS RELEASE
MILAN, Italy — 5 March 2026 — A drug prevention initiative in Italy has distributed over one million informational booklets in the past month. Approximately 500 volunteers are actively engaging communities to help young people and families understand the risks of drug use.
Titled La Verità sulla Droga (“The Truth About Drugs”), this campaign is part of the educational ef

Read More

Spain Denies Rutte’s Claim of Broad NATO Support for Iran War

Spain Denies Rutte’s Claim of Broad NATO Support for Iran War

Madrid has been a strong critic of the escalating Middle Eastern conflict, refusing to let the U.S. use Spanish bases for strikes. In a Wednesday address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized the importance of international law and declared, “no to war.”
Defense Minister Robles clarified that Spain’s stance against Tehran attacks does not diminish its NATO value. She m

Read More

Casino Group Messaging

Casino Group Messaging

Casino Group Communication
Paris, 3 March 2026
In the arbitration case started on 6 May 2025 at the ICC International Court of Arbitration by Companiha Brasileria de Distribuiçao (GPA), GPA announced on 2 March 2026 that they have requested interim measures against Casino Guichard-Perrachon. This is mainly to prevent the transfer of GPA shares held by Casino Group or to freeze any potential sale

Read More

Iran Conflict: Europe Considers Migration Risk

Iran Conflict: Europe Considers Migration Risk

A controversial concept known as “reverse enlargement” is causing discussion in Brussels, as Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton explore a proposal aiming to accelerate Ukraine’s integration into the EU. The European Commission is assessing the limits EU capitals will reach to expedite this process.
At the same time, the conflict in Iran shadows two Brussels meetings: EU foreign

Read More

Iran Crisis: Schoolgirls Killed, Thousands Displaced, and Aid Hampered

Iran Crisis: Schoolgirls Killed, Thousands Displaced, and Aid Hampered

UN human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani highlighted the devastating impact of a strike on Saturday that reportedly resulted in the death and injury of many girls at a primary school in Minab, southern Iran.
“Children, little girls…at the beginning of the school day being killed in this manner, backpacks with bloodstains on them – this is absolutely horrific,” she stated. “These im

Read More

Polish President Seeks Alternatives to EU Defense Loans

Polish President Seeks Alternatives to EU Defense Loans

The government maintains that it can access the EU funds even if Nawrocki vetoes them.
Nawrocki emphasized that SAFE funds have conditions. He proposed “a specific and secure alternative to SAFE without interest… no loans, no changes to Poland’s EU status, and providing the flexibility our military needs for equipment choices.”
Glapiński suggested the central bank might use its annual

Read More

Italy Says…

Italy Says…

Roxana Mînzatu, College Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Social Affairs, addressed a parliamentary question from Irish MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú. The query was about the European Commission’s decision to halt infringement proceedings against Italy concerning discrimination against non-national university teachers (Lettori), despite previous rulings by the Court of Justice deeming

Read More

White House Asserts Spain’s Cooperation on Strikes; Spain Denies Agreement.

White House Asserts Spain’s Cooperation on Strikes; Spain Denies Agreement.

“I categorically deny this,” Albares stated in an interview on Spain’s Cadena Ser radio network. “Spain’s stance on the Middle East conflict, the attack on Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed.”
The White House claim followed Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s televised address, where he condemned the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran, asserti

Read More

Iran and Moroccan Islam: A Dangerous Contradiction – Opinion Piece by Isaac Hammoush

Iran and Moroccan Islam: A Dangerous Contradiction – Opinion Piece by Isaac Hammoush

In recent weeks, several Moroccan cities have seen demonstrations where, beyond traditional solidarity with Palestine, slogans and symbols have shown explicit support for the Iranian regime and what Tehran calls the “axis of resistance.” These gatherings have surfaced amidst a tense international climate marked by increasing military tensions in the Middle East following Israeli strik

Read More

Ce que la guerre en Iran signifie pour l’Ukraine

Ce que la guerre en Iran signifie pour l’Ukraine

Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky a exprimé lundi à la presse que les armes adéquates sont essentielles pour eux, soulignant l’impact possible d’un conflit prolongé au Moyen-Orient sur les approvisionnements.
Donald Trump a annoncé que la guerre des États-Unis et d’Israël contre l’Iran pourrait se prolonger jusqu’à cinq semaines, tout en se disant prêt à un co

Read More