Residents concerned about their safety at ‘faulty rail booms’

Cape Town - The Kenilworth railway level crossing has once again become a serious safety concern for residents as they say the boom is opening and closing at random times– causing frustrated drivers to risk their lives weaving through the booms to reach their destinations.

This is not the first time the boom has come under the spotlight. In 2018 there were also complaints about faulty boom timing and poor warning signals. Then, the booms were subsequently ungraded.

However in 2020 residents again expressed concern that the way the new boom was set up, allowed enough space for cars to weave through them even when it was closed.

Resident Neil Veitch said: “For several years following the removal of the aged metal booms guarding the level crossing, their ineffectually foreshortened replacements have threatened the lives of all users, pedestrian or vehicular of the roadway. With minimum effort even the widest of vehicles can navigate the opening between these new booms, pedestrians cross without let or hindrance and the new red warning lights flash or remain unlit, apparently unconnected with any approaching rail traffic.”

Ward councillor Mikhail Manuel said in the last week he had received numerous complaints about the boom.

“Complaints about the boom have picked up again. Previously during peak there were lots of trains every 10 minutes or so, so the boom would be closed during those times. It was frustrating for people but there were set times and they were aware so they could make a plan. For last three or four years, the frequency of trains on the southern line rapidly decreased but they still followed the same schedule when opening and closing the boom while there would be no passing trains for long periods of time.

“The ward councillor at the time then started a conversation with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) asking them to operate the booms on an ad-hoc basis only closing it when a train comes.

“Now the trains have picked up again and the booms are again closing to some schedule but it is not the schedule communicated on the boards at the boom. People are frustrated and confused because again, the boom will now be closed for a long time with no trains passing, so the cars are finding a way to weave between the booms. It is a very dangerous situation.”

Manuel said he had made a commitment to residents that he would bring up the issue with Prasa at their next monthly meeting to determine the best way forward.

Prasa did not respond to requests for comment by deadline on Thursday.

Cape Times