The Bellville Rail Management and Traffic Control Centre was launched on Friday and will oversee all passenger rail operations, improve on-time performance and make the network safer.
Prasa’s Bellville Rail Management and Traffic Control Centre was launched on 16 October 2020 and will oversee all passenger rail operations, improve on-time performance and make the network safer. Kaylynn Palm/EWN
CAPE TOWN – Cape Town’s rail network is now more efficient thanks to a new automated control centre in Bellville.
The Bellville Rail Management and Traffic Control Centre was launched on Friday and will oversee all passenger rail operations, improve on-time performance and make the network safer.
It cost R2 billion and follows the launch of a similar centre in Gauteng.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said that the new control centre at Prasa’s operations headquarters aimed to improve efficiencies in the management of rail transport.
#CTRail Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula speaking at the opening of the Rail Traffic Control Centre in Cape Town today. KP pic.twitter.com/Hn5bKAJv2X
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) October 16, 2020
#CTRail At the control centre, staff co-ordinate and monitor train operations and infrastructure. KP pic.twitter.com/lWz7jpGEmI
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) October 16, 2020
Here staff will co-ordinate and monitor train operations and infrastructure.
“I think Prasa spent about R2.8 billion in terms of the automation of the rail network so that trains are delayed because of signal issues.”
The upgrade from manual to automated operations comes as vandalism continues to cripple parts of Cape Town rail network.
The central line has not been operational for a year and Mbalula said that recovering that line was the region’s biggest challenge.
“The Western Cape central corridor will be recovered. In that corridor alone, Prasa is investing over and above R1 billion to get it recovered.”