PRASA IS REBUILDING PASSENGER RAIL CORRIDOR-BY-CORRIDOR

PRASA is committed to rebuilding the rail infrastructure and restoring passenger rail as the backbone of public transport.

The provision of safe, reliable, affordable, and efficient transport is a mandate of government. Passenger rail is one platform through which government responds to this mandate. This is further articulated in the recently approved National Rail Policy, which is an enabler and catalyst for economic growth. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has focused on restoring passenger rail to its rightful place as the backbone of public transport. To achieve this goal, PRASA has invested significant resources in rebuilding and modernizing its infrastructure. PRASA has implemented an impressive rolling stock modernization programme.

Passengers have received the new Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) blue trains with great enthusiasm. It is for this reason that the new train is popularly known as ‘Isitimela Sabantu’, ‘The People’s Train’. The new trains come with built-in features such as CCTV cameras, automatic doors that do not open when the train is running, emergency stop and smoke detectors.

There has also been an upgrade of stations, depots and in the case of the Cape Town Station, there is a new development that will transform this Cape Town landmark with the addition of student accommodation, offices and retail space. This rebuild and modernization programme is ongoing.

In the 2022 State of The Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa committed to restore passenger rail services in at least 10 priority corridors. PRASA has successfully rebuilt large parts of the passenger rail network. The rebuild and recovery of service is on a corridorby-corridor basis. The corridors were chosen based on the volume of passengers per corridor, the service demand, the damage extent, and the time required to recover and rehabilitate the corridor. Below are the milestones achieved.

To date, the following corridors have been recovered, with the introduction of the new electric trains:

• Mabopane to Pretoria resumed services in January 2022

• Saulsville to Pretoria resumed services in March 2022

• Pienaarspoort to Pretoria resumed services in October 2022

• De Wildt to Pretoria line in October 2022

• Naledi to Johannesburg resumed services in December 2022

• Cape Town to Simonstown resumed services in March 2022

• Cape Town to Retreat via Athlone resumed services in March 2022

• On the Central Line, Cape Town to Langa via Pinelands and Langa to Bellville via Sarepta, with service resumption in July 2022

• Cape Town to Bellville via Goodwood resumed services in March 2022

• Eerste Rivier to Belville resumed services in January 2023

In KwaZulu-Natal, Metrorail was running diesel services on the grey and yellow trains before the flood damage disrupted the service in April. The following corridors have since been recovered:

• Durban to Tongaat resumed services in November 2022

• Durban to Umbongintwini resumed services in August 2022

• Reunion to Kwamnyandu (Umlazi Corridor) resumed services in October 2022 and has since been extended to Umlazi station this month (January, 2023)

• Durban to Cato Ridge resumed services in November 2022.

Safety and security of the rail infrastructure is an integral part of PRASA’s rebuilding and recovery strategy. The integrated security plan will provide security to ensure the rail network and infrastructure is protected from criminals.

Through the Depot modernization programme, PRASA is installing walls with built-in high-tech security features to prevent criminals from accessing our trains.

PRASA’s ambitious rebuild programme promises to return passenger rail to its place as a first choice for commuters. There has been a rapid increase in the number of commuters in the corridors that have been returned to service. With the planned recovery of more corridors in the 2023/24 financial year, PRASA expects to welcome ever more riders onto its trains, confirming once again that rail is the preferred mode of transport. 

CONTACT DETAILS

Tel: +27 12 748 7000

Email: info@prasa.com

Website: www.prasa.com

Address: Prasa House, 1040 Burnett Street, Hatfield, Pretoria