Communication centre of Metrorail fails

THE USE of trains as a public transport mechanism in the Western Cape is crucial to connecting our province’s people, moving them to and from work opportunities and schooling each day.

Over 700 000 people make use of the public train service on a daily basis in the Western Cape, representing a substantial chunk of our population which contributes to our economy. Consistent train delays and disruptions, as a direct result of incessant failures at Metrorail in the Western Cape, continue to hamper the lives of these residents, taking away their means to get to work and school and, in turn, hurting the provincial economy.

With recurring train delays having become the norm, the people rely on Metrorail to communicate with passengers forewarning them of any delays or line failures.

This responsibility lies with the Cape Metrorail operations control centre, the CMOCC. The centre is not fit for purpose as it is comprised of former train drivers whose focus is not the communication of train delays to passengers, but the movement of failed trains. This centre repeatedly fails to relay crucial information on train operation to passengers, and when it does, this information is often incorrect. This is further exacerbated by Metrorail’s train logging system which can only monitor trains up until Stikland and Kuilsriver on the northern corridor.

Metrorail needs to give the responsibility of rail-to-passenger communication to personnel who are capable and willing to perform this crucial task. When a train fails, commuters must rest assured that they will be informed in order to make the necessary changes to their trip. Metrorail’s failure to implement an effective rail communication system is a deliberate slap in the face to the public. We must resolve this issue immediately. Our people deserve better.

RICARDO MACKENZIE Member of the Provincial Legislature and DA provincial spokesperson for the Petitions Committee