PRASA's 5-Point Plan to Improve Current Metrorail Service

1. Metrorail Service: 5 - Point Plan to Improve current service levels • PRASA’s Strategy identified short, medium and long-term interventions to improve rail services in the country. • PRASA identified operational interventions to be implemented immediately (i.e. service redesign) in order to improve current service levels to customers whilst the modernization program is underway. • Objective is to have a substantial impact on the quality of service currently being offered, while the modernization program of acquiring new rolling stock, re-signaling and infrastructure renewal are being roll-out over the next 3 – 5 years. • Program currently implemented by the Rail Division.

2. Key Elements of the 5 Point Plan • Service Redesign (to focus mainly on improving journey times and managing overcrowding) • Introduction of user friendly Time-Table (introduction of user friendly and comprehensible timetable operating at regular intervals) • Acceleration of Infrastructure improvements and rehabilitation (addressing infrastructure issues affecting service delivery, especially speed restrictions and capacity bottlenecks) • Security of passengers and assets (managing a holistic approach to security in the deployment and use of security personnel, with a zero tolerance approach to security and safety breaches) • Operational Safety (intensify operational safety interventions and manage human factors affecting rail operations)

3. Summary of Interventions Service Redesign • Introduction of inner/outer services with intermediate station connections for increased shuttle services and express services, offering improved frequencies and managing crowding. • Reorganizing rolling stock deployment through appropriate set configuration. • Improve availability of rolling stock from maintenance program. • Further decentralization of the staging of trains to respond to optimum service deployment. • Short distance traveling of trains to maximize asset utilization

4. Summary of Interventions Infrastructure Rehabilitation • Reduce speed restrictions. • Accelerate CIP interventions. • Re-introduce Defect Teams to perform off-peak services. • Deployment of technical staff at key responding stations for quick re-action to infrastructure defects affecting service delivery. • Improve network capacity and flexibility to respond to service redesign requirements.

5. Security Improvements • Private security personnel to be under direct command of Prasa security. • Ensure that the mobile Task Team members lead the deployments particularly in Gauteng. • Ensure optimum security deployment in trains through creation of more mobile teams particularly during off peak services. • Integrate Platform Marshalling responsibilities within security to ensure enforcement of operational safety compliance. • Adopt a zero tolerance approach to non-compliance in the operational environment and within trains. • Deploy security to protect key installations, i.e. vulnerable signaling installations. • Protection of trains through focused teams on key corridors (early morning and evenings).

6. Summary of Interventions Operational Safety Interventions • Ensure full implementation and compliance of the Safety Management System. • Deploy security to ensure full compliance with safety rules/requirements at stations and within trains (security to ensure enforcement of compliance – e.g. platform marshalling duties). • Ensure full compliance with all provisions of the Human Factor management (medical, surveillance, task observation, refresher training, safety symposiums, etc). • Intensify the safety awareness campaigns. • Work with local government to address the issue of settlements along the rail reserve (major contributor to fatalities along the rail reserve.