OREANDA-NEWS. Infrabel has been in frequent contact with passenger associations since 2009. These societies are a link with railway users, enabling them to voice their wishes and requirements. Infrabel fulfils its role as a state-owned company by pursuing an ongoing dialogue with all its stakeholders and by responding to evolutions in society.

A round-table discussion with users

Infrabel organises consultation meetings five to six times a year that are open to all associations of public interest dealing with rail travel. These include Navetteurs.Be, TreinTramBus, Inter Environnement Wallonie, Association des Clients des Transports Publics, the SNCB Advisory Committee, Blindenzorg Licht en Liefde, the Federation of Flemish Organisations for the Hearing Impaired (Fevlado) and rail travel ombudsman organisations.

The following video shows a round-table discussion from July 2013 (French).

Discussions and results

This platform has two objectives: to listen to passengers' grievances and to provide information about developments at Infrabel. At every meeting certain issues are raised in response to specific questions from the associations or as a direct result of current events. Major changes that may have an impact on commuters' lives are also dealt with.

The associations are regularly invited to on-site visits in order to take a look behind the scenes (Schuman-Josaphat tunnel, logistics centres for infrastructure, etc.) and to participate in workshops (about safety, ETCS, etc.). Such visits are always highly appreciated by the participants.

These meetings help Infrabel to constantly improve its services and communication as part of its effort to meet railway users' expectations (access problems for people with reduced mobility, information for the hearing impaired, etc.). The feedback from passenger associations helps Infrabel to stay on track with society.