Transport officials on Thursday said they would do everything possible to ensure drivers could safely use Cape Town’s 34 level crossings.
Two weeks ago 10 children died after a minibus they were travelling in collided with a train at a level crossing in Blackheath.
On Wednesday transport officials, taxi associations and other stakeholders met under the LeadSA banner for a Road Safety Summit.
Metrorail said it spends about R500,000 a year fixing booms at Cape Town level crossings because errant drivers crossed the intersection when they were not supposed to.
Metrorail Infrastructure Manager Louis Beukes said every safety precaution was in place at the intersections.
“To make sure that there is enough warning signs next to the sighting distances…We’ve cut down vegetation and so on. We require flashlights, so those are working. We have provided all the measures possible to enable the user to make an informed decision,” he added.
City of Cape Town councillor JP Smith said they would like to create a training college that drivers were compelled to attend before being granted a licence to transport passengers.
Smith said the current standards for a Public Driving Permit were not stringent enough.
“The Public Drivers Permit (PDP) is a rubber stamp process over the counter which does not test the quality level of training and education of the driver,” he said.
(Story by Nathan Adams, Edited by Lisa Bartlett appeared on Eyewitness News)
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