Florida railway lines unsecured and unkept
Drug use and vagrancy is a growing concern along Florida's railway lines.
While thousands are benefiting from the reopening of train stations, the lack of maintenance along railway lines and failure by the entity to secure its property between stations is contributing to societal ills.
The poor condition of pedestrian crossings has resulted in people crossing railway lines at many places where fencing around the railway lines have fallen into disarray.
• Also read: Pedestrians in peril at dangerous tunnel
According to Florida CPF chairperson Farhaad Sardiwalla, even though it is illegal to cross at places other than pedestrian bridges or tunnels, it is impossible to enforce since the bridges are at many places unsafe to use.
The Roodepoort Record undertook a short tour of the railway line as it cuts through Florida, witnessing many freely crossing, seemingly deliberately avoiding official crossings.
Crossing the railway line at Lockies Street and 3rd Avenue, a small group of men rush to get away when they spot Sardiwalla, and the reason soon becomes clear. In a tiny building alongside the tracks, three men engaged in drug use are surprised when Sardiwalla peers inside.
After destroying their meth pipes and making sure they don’t have more drugs on them, they are sent sternly on their way just as a child from a nearby high school passes by on her way home.
Just a few metres away at 2nd Avenue, the pedestrian bridge over the railway line, though open, is badly damaged.
Questioned about whether they feel safe crossing here, a group of children say they don’t have another option. They tell of a friend who had been robbed here last year.
“Mostly we don’t have problems. There are people using drugs here sometimes, but they generally leave us alone.”
Sardiwalla says that open access to areas that are supposed to be fenced off provides the perfect opportunity for drug dealers, users and vagrants.
“Firstly, they have access. Secondly, these areas are generally quite overgrown and not visible from the street.
“Why are there buildings that are not being utilised? Of course, drug users and vagrants are going to make use of them.”
The Record sent questions to Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) spokesperson Andiswa Makanda, but no response has been forthcoming by the time of publication.
