Transnet to embark on railway safety campaign

Friday, March 26, 2010

Pretoria - Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) and its partners are to conduct a countrywide campaign aimed at educating the public about railway safety.

TFR in conjunction with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the South African Council of Churches (SACC) and the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR) will conduct the annual Easter Level Crossing campaign beginning on Monday and ending on Wednesday.

"The campaign targets motorists, pedestrians and communities who live near railway lines. It entails going out to legal and illegal level crossings as well as crime and incident hot spots, where community members are educated about behaviours that render them vulnerable to dangerous incidents, often leading to serious injuries and loss of human life", said Transnet spokesperson, Sandile Simelane.

The RSR's communication manager, Lavinia Mahlangu, said the regulator was deeply concerned about the country's railway safety.

"Promoting safety and security interventions through the Easter campaign is an important facet of building a culture of safety amongst the public," said Mahlangu.

Mahlangu said despite efforts to make communities aware of the rail environment, motorists and pedestrians still ignore warning signs of level crossings.