Question NW1637 to the Minister of Transport

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12 June 2018 - NW1637

Profile picture: Hunsinger, Mr CH

Hunsinger, Mr CH to ask the Minister of Transport

With reference to commuter safety at train stations, what (a) are the full details of his department’s immediate plan for the next 12 months in this regard, (b) are the time frames, time lines, deadlines and milestones of the specified plan, (c) processes, procedures and mechanisms are in place in his department in this regard and (d)(i) communication plan does his department intend to put in place and (ii) are the relevant details of the plan?

Reply:

a) The Department of Transport provides an overall safety framework based on its policy and legislative framework. The details in terms of implementation rests with the Department’s implementing arms namely the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR). PRASA ensures that as part of its operational requirements that safety at train stations is attended to. The RSR conducts inspections and audits on train stations. These are called Platform Train Interface (PTI) Audits or Inspections. In the previous financial year RSR conducted 12 PTI audits and 1 inspection in Gauteng Region, 7 Audits in Western Cape and 2 in Eastern Cape. Planned for this 2018/19 period are 15 PTI Audits in Gauteng, 8 PTI’ Audits in Eastern Cape.

b) The plans will be implemented in the 2018/2019 financial year.

c) The RSR also conducts Education and Awareness sessions at various stations. For this financial year, 20 railway safety promotion initiatives are planned which includes level crossing awareness, station safety awareness campaigns, launch of the proposed national rail safety week and school safety awareness campaigns.

d) (i) & (ii) The Department does not have a specific communication plan but the leadership of the Department in various platforms emphasize safety of commuter in trains as a priority. 

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