A high-performing company

STIB aims to be a high-performing company. It wants to deliver a quality service that meets customer expectations. To do this, it manages its (human and financial) resources carefully and attentively and ensures it has the tools and resources it needs to continue promoting mobility in Brussels.

Financial resources

Revenue

Traffic revenue was € 202.5 million in 2016. This is down from 2015, due to decreased ridership following the attacks (partial network closure) and clients moving to surface transport that is more susceptible to faredodging than the metro. The impact has been particularly pronounced in ticket sales (occasional passengers), which generate the highest proportional profit margin. Revenue has started to rise again since November, following the passenger number curve for public transport. The reduction in the price of school season tickets for the first child (€ 50 instead of € 120) has also contributed to the drop in traffic income. Advertising revenue increased by 17.2% following the introduction of the information screens and rental revenue increased by 11.8% thanks to the growth of commercial signage in the metro.

Expenditure

The business's operating expenses were € 610,014 million. Salary costs (€ 426,629 million) remained stable compared with 2015.The financial impact of the increased workforce was counterbalanced by the drop in costs linked to non-active employees. Operating costs (excluding personnel costs) dropped very slightly (€ 104,997 million), despite the higher cost of electricity and increased fuel costs resulting from the combined effect of the increased kilometre production and the associated consumption.

Coverage ratio

STIB monitors the development of its "SEC" coverage ratio, calculated using the method recommended by the Institute of National Accounts. This ratio does not take into account expense and income items. In 2016, the coverage ratio of the company's expenses from its own income, excluding subsidies, reached 41.1%. Since 2014, the annual allocation that enables STIB to improve its transport offer has been considered a subsidy, not a transport service remuneration. It is therefore excluded from the calculation. Consequently, this has a downward impact on the coverage ratio due to increased spending at a faster rate than the traffic revenues, which do not cover all the transport costs. The phenomenon is increasingly visible because the allocation for improving the offer has experienced very strong growth over the last few years.

Investments

5.2 billion
in investments
in 10 years

Developing infrastructures

The network of the future will be denser, more efficient and even more accessible. In autumn 2015, the Brussels-Capital Region Government approved STIB's public transport development plan for the years 2015-2025. This ambitious plan provides for 5.2 billion in investments in 10 years for an extension to the metro, the purchase of additional vehicles, the construction of depots, etc.

Extension of tram 94

The extension of line 94, from the Tram Museum to Roodebeek station, is one of the major investments of the public transport development plan. In October, the laying of the first track for the line extension marked the launch of the first phase of the site. The work involves the section of Boulevard de la Woluwe between Avenue de Tervueren and Rue Voot. This link will eventually offer passengers a new direct connection with metro line 1 (Stockel-Gare de l’Ouest) and the STIB, TEC and De Lijn bus lines. Roodebeek Station will then become a real communications hub. In a second phase, line 94 will be extended to the Avenue Marcel Thiry, in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. The aim is to create a major bypass to the east of Brussels. www.tram94.brussels

Construction of tram line 9

Work on the site of future tram line 9, to the west of Brussels, was launched in September 2015 and continued throughout 2016. Over the summer, work to create the line's new terminus was carried out at Simonis. This new line will ultimately connect Simonis and Les Hauts de Jette, via the University Hospital (UZ Brussels). There are already plans to extend this future line to Heysel, where a joint multimodal centre will be created for lines 3 and 7. Line 9 will then continue its journey to car park C (near the future national stadium), which is scheduled to reach in 2019. These successive extensions are totalling approximately 4 km. They will facilitate connections between the 3 lines, creating a real bypass in the north of the city. www.tram9.brussels

North-South M3 metro on the rails

To meet the ever-growing public transport needs in the north of the region, the current north-south pre-metro line will be converted into a metro line. The tunnel will be extended for more than 4 km, beyond the Gare du Nord to Bordet. Seven new metro stations will be created. On 20 July, the federal government signalled its agreement to the draft project to extend the M3 north-south line towards Bordet. This agreement followed the similar decision by the Brussels government and marked a new stage in this extensive project. The preparatory work and studies have continued. The new north-south line will eventually be 10.3 km long and have 18 stations. This will allow passengers to cross Brussels in around 20 minutes via the city centre. www.metro3.be

Increased service frequency
on lines 1 and 52 min 302 min1 min 30

New lease of life for the east-west line

To continue meeting the needs of the constant influx of passengers and increase its service frequency, STIB has launched a major modernisation programme for the east-west metro line that opened more than 40 years ago. In 2016, the STIB Board of Directors appointed the company ANSALDO STS France SA as the successful bidder for the framework contract for the new safety signage. This new signage will be installed on the network in phases, starting with lines 1 and 5. This will make it possible to increase train frequency (currently 2 minutes 30 on lines 1 and 5 in rush hour) and so eventually double the metro's capacity. The commissioning of the new signage on the first section of lines 1 and 5 is scheduled for 2020. New metro trains have been ordered.

Network maintenance

STIB is not only investing in work to extend and improve its transport services, but also in maintaining its existing infrastructures. Several worksites to update tram lines in 2016 were essential to ensure that the network remains safe. Current laying techniques (rubber coated rails laid on floating slab) also improve comfort for local residents when the trams pass through. In most cases, these works are an opportunity to enhance the surrounding public spaces through a complete redevelopment of the area.

Machined tracks: 49.92 kmTracks treated with
- anti-vibration cover: 5.04 km
- covered rails: 13.90 km

Track replacement

STIB has begun to replace its tram tracks as part of the Beliris project to redevelop Porte de Ninove. The replacement of the tracks on Rue Van Oost in Schaerbeek continued with the renovation of the entire street, making it one way apart from trams, as part of the AVANTI programme. The aim of this programme is to improve the circulation of public transport in the city. The rails have been replaced on Avenue de la Reine, from the canal to Rue Stéphanie, and Place Janson in Saint-Gilles. Finally, the work on Avenue Buyl and Square Devèze in Ixelles has been completed. The redevelopment of the General Jacques phase is scheduled for 2017.

The fleet is growing

STIB requires additional metro trains for its increased service frequency and for the future extension of the metro network towards the north of the city. In 2016, the Board of Directors appointed the company CAF as the successful bidder for the framework contract to deliver these new trains. 43 metro trains have been ordered in the first phase. STIB is also preparing to expand its fleet of trams. The public transport company published a contract notice for the order of 175 "new generation" trams. The bids are currently being analysed. In 2016, STIB also launched public contract procedures to order 90 standard buses and 145 hybrid articulated buses. The Board of Directors also approved the publication of a contract notice for the acquisition of electric buses.

New depots are opening

As well as increasing its fleet, STIB is continuing its depot construction and renovation programme. In 2016, work began on the future Erasme depot in Anderlecht. This third metro depot (after Delta and Brel) will allow the storage of 23 trains and the maintenance of 7 vehicles at the same time. The Marconi depot in the south of Brussels has provided a temporary home for 28 trams since 2015. Half of the final depot was constructed in 2016, together with a large part of the administrative building and workshop. It should become fully operational in early 2018, when 75 trams will be able to be stored there and 10 maintained at the same time. On the Haren site, work is continuing to construct the Maintenance Centre. This will be the central location for major servicing and repairs to buses, trams and metros. Activity at the new Petite Ile bus depot in Anderlecht has been increasing as the development work has progressed.

Station renovations

The work to renovate two important metro stations, Arts-Loi and Schuman, was launched several years ago and completed during 2016. At Arts-Loi, the work carried out by the Brussels-Capital Region and Beliris, improved the station's atmosphere and accessibility. At Schuman, the work carried out jointly by Beliris, the Brussels-Capital Region and Infrabel has transformed Schuman station into a real communications hub, making train-metro connections much easier. STIB decided to review all the directional information in its stations so that passengers could easily find their way. The environment of both stations is brighter, more user-friendly, larger and more reassuring and is part of the ongoing improvement of passenger journeys.

15 new shops
opened in 2016A total of 29 new shops
in the metro since 2014

The commercial offer in stations

STIB is continuing to commercialise the space available in metro stations so it can offer its passengers a wide range of useful services during their journeys in its infrastructures. Fifteen new shops opened their doors in the Brussels metro in 2016. The refurbishment of Schuman and Louise stations has allowed them to welcome several famous brands. A total of 29 additional shops have set up in stations since 2014.

The service quality

100% of services certified

STIB has obtained CEN certification for its service quality for the third year in a row. The 4 metro lines, 17 tram lines and 50 bus lines have been certified, as have 12 sales outlets (BOOTIK and KIOSK), customer services and the inspection of transport tickets service. The 4 interchange hubs, where several transport operators (STIB, TEC, De Lijn and SNCB) come together, renewed their certification: Gare du Midi, Gare de Bruxelles-Luxembourg, Gare de l’Ouest and Simonis.

Quality initiatives

Quality initiatives are annual projects that the STIB implements to benefit passengers. In 2016, initiatives relating to quality were structured around: improving vehicle comfort (renovation of old buses, availability of equipment, lighting in metro trains, etc.)improving the transport service (management of unscheduled service disruptions, defensive behaviour, elimination of the causes of breakdowns, etc.)