‘Bridge’ the problem with a solution
A group of concerned community members gathered at the railway crossing on Monday, July 31 and voiced their concerns about the accidents on the crossing
Two accidents in a short period of two weeks are forcing the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) to look at the railway crossing at Old Coronation (near Pap and Vleis).
Ms Madelein Williams, spokesperson for RSR said the safety regulator will peruse the occurrence reports from Transnet Freight Rail and respond accordingly, in line with the National Railway Safety Regulator Act.
“A safety assessment of the Old Coronation level crossing will be conducted to establish if the level crossing meets the minimum safety requirements following the Level Crossing Standard,” Williams said.
A group of concerned community members gathered at the railway crossing on Monday, July 31 and voiced their concerns about the accidents on the crossing.
“We want Transnet and the local municipality to come up with ideas to build a bridge over the railway lines,” Mr Aubrey Mtsweni, organizer of the gathering said.
He said the ripple effect of accidents on the crossing is huge.
“Any accident on this railway crossing affects everyone. Learners can’t get to school, people can’t get to work. If there is an emergency ambulances can’t come through. The decision-makers must come down and evaluate this situation and bring a solution to the table,” he said.
On July 19 and July 28 the railway crossing was closed for hours when a train and a truck collided on the two separate incidents.
“We are beyond frustrated. How many lives must be lost before action will be taken,” Mtsweni asked?
The local municipality did not respond to the media enquiry about the possibility of a bridge.
