Metrorail’s Programme of Action: Commuter Safety

As promised at the time of the launch of Metrorail's Programme of Action (PoA) in June this year, subsequent interventions will follow as the region unfolded its entire plan to improve travel conditions for Cape commuters. Having addressed train availability, punctuality and fare recovery satisfactorily, Metrorail announces the start of a comprehensive commuter safety campaign.

The purpose of the campaign is to communicate the interventions designed to improve commuter safety and safeguard critical assets/infrastructure. The introduction of platform marshals will assist with crowd control and optimize crime prevention. The campaign also aims to raise safety awareness, increase visibility of security measures and engage commuters/communities on railway safety.

Regional manager of Metrorail Western Cape Mthuthuzeli Swartz says his vision of a crime free rail environment and uninterrupted service delivery is possible through sustainable partnerships with relevant organs of civil society, commuters/passengers and other stakeholders which will create positive economic Improvement for both commuters/passengers and Metrorail business.

Commuters can expect visible security at stations/on platforms and platform marshals to enforce commuter compliance to safety measures. Transgressors who keep train doors open, jump in and out of moving trains with impunity, ride between carriages to evade fares and cross railway tracks illegally run the risk of arrest and possible prosecution. Customer comfort issues such as overcrowding and smoking in trains will also be addressed.

In the coming weeks communication material will be distributed to educate, advise, recommend and sign post legal and operational safety requirements in the rail environment. There is a clear and unambiguous onus on customers to assist in their own protection by complying with safety and legal instructions and observing instructions. Therefore they must AVOID risky behaviour.

The third component of the campaign comprise enforcement by security, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Railway Police (SARPS) through special actions, fines and prosecutions for offences such as mugging, carrying drugs, assault and preventing train doors from closing.

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