No night-time traffic patrols

22 March 2007

BRUSSELS – The Antwerp units of the traffic police were told at the beginning of this week that no more actions will be performed at night and on weekends. There is not enough money in the budget to pay them for this extra work, according to the Gazet van Antwerpen.

“Last year the Antwerp traffic police had a budget of almost EUR 1.4 million to pay overtime for work at night and on weekends. Starting this year the entire budget of EUR 6.1 million will simply be divided up per officer per province. That means that Antwerp will only get EUR 890,000,” explains Paul Scherens, secretary for the ACOD union.

This redistribution does not take into account however that the province of Antwerp has the heaviest workload, Scherens says. “In terms of traffic Antwerp is the busiest province. Particularly the presence of the port and growing freight transport create extra work.”

A solution is being sought for the problem.

Subject: Belgian news