Changes made to Western Cape Metrorail services ahead of lockdown

Published Mar 26, 2020

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Cape Town – In preparation for the transport lockdown at midnight, changes have been made to peak-hour afternoon services on the Southern, Cape Flats and Northern lines.

All Monte Vista trains have also been cancelled on Thursday morning due to train sets being out of service, Western Cape Metrorail said. All Wellington trains have been rerouted to operate via Monte Vista, excluding T3510.

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) announced yesterday that it would suspend all its rail and bus services tonight. 

"This decision is in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent directive to Prasa by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula.

"The decision to suspend Prasa services has also been informed by the usual overcrowding of the system, which places our customers and employees in danger of contracting the coronavirus. 

"The overcrowding conditions have been creating difficulties in observing the recommended social distancing between passengers and the implementation of the limit of not more than 100 people permitted to gather inside our trains and station facilities.

"Autopax, the operator of Translux and City-to-City bus services, will be suspended as part of restricting the movement of people to other regions during the lockdown period.

"Prasa will ensure ongoing security deployment during the lockdown to protect its assets, including rail staging yards and bus depots.

"Furthermore, the overhead traction equipment within our rail system must always be treated as live and extremely dangerous to interfere with. 

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"Passenger rail services and Autopax bus services will resume operations at the end of the 21-day national lockdown, which the national government has determined to be midnight of Thursday, 16th April, 2020.

"Prasa encourages both its customers and employees to adhere to the national lockdown and the rules imposed by health authorities and the government."

Cape Times

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