Train service undisrupted while workers strike

By Mishkah Anthony
24 April 2009

Metrorail seem to have kept their promise that all train services would not be disrupted due to today’s strike action of its two train unions.

The rail operator said that contingency plans had been put in place to minimize the impact of the one- day strike in Cape Town.

Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said that the morning peak hour service was more than 80% functional with some delays reported in the Khayelitsha and Muldersvlei areas.

She said several early morning trains were cancelled due to defective sets, resulting in a score of delays but furthermore no incidents were reported and stations confirmed that it was business as usual.

Scott says, Metrorail is expecting to render a similar service this afternoon, “we generally experience an earlier afternoon peak on the eve of a long weekend and our employees are ready to ensure that our customers get home on time this afternoon’”.

Meanwhile more than twenty three thousand commuters received regular short message alerts on the status of the service and the all hours Metropolitan Transport Information Centre confirmed a standard call flow rate. By yesterday most large employer bodies had been notified of the intended strike and all relevant authorities were alerted.