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The council has reached an agreement with De Lijn and the bus companies Flixbus, BlaBlaBus, Mobiman and Airport Express about a bus stop.

The Flixbuses have been a thorn in the side of the city and De Lijn for years. In order to reduce the pressure of the international bus lines on the Koningin Astridplein, the City of Antwerp is allowing some bus companies to divert to platform B5 on the Franklin Rooseveltplaats. The city council has long wanted to keep car and bus traffic out of the square as much as possible. This is a six-month pilot project. 

Because De Lijn buses and trams regularly experience nuisance from the international bus lines, an alternative was sought. The alderman's college has now reached an agreement with De Lijn and the bus companies Flixbus, BlaBlaBus, Mobiman and Airport Express about a bus stop at Franklin Rooseveltplaats. 

“It makes much more sense not to let the Flixbus rumble through the city center. They could stop perfectly at the park-and-ride Luchtbal and let their travelers transfer to the tram to drive to the center.”

These buses regularly cause traffic nuisance on the square and on the Turnhoutsebaan in Borgerhout. The new stops are Quinten Matsijslei at the city park and the park-and-ride Luchtbal. Groen argues that these international bus lines should stop on the outskirts of the city and no longer reach the city center at all. 

They could stop at the park-and-ride perfectly and let their travelers transfer to the tram to drive to the center. The current permits will systematically expire in the coming years. The last permit to drive to the Koningin Astridplein will expire in July 2026.

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