PRASA implements short-term safety measures at Buttskop railway crossing

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has announced short-term safety measures at the Buttskop railway level crossing in Blackheath, Cape Town, following years of tragic accidents at the site.

The crossing has been the scene of two major fatal crashes—one in 2010, where a scholar transport vehicle collided with a train, killing 10 children, and another in 2018, where seven men lost their lives while traveling to work in a bakkie.

Despite repeated calls for improvements, the area remains a high-risk zone for road users and train commuters. Recent reports indicate that the booms and signals at the crossing are still not operational, prompting concerns about ongoing safety risks.

Safety Concerns Persist at Buttskop Crossing

Recently, former Western Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle revisited the Buttskop railway crossing to assess progress on safety upgrades. To his disappointment, he found a makeshift control system in place, with non-functioning boom gates and warning signals.

The City of Cape Town, which is responsible for infrastructure upgrades in the area, has acknowledged the issue but cited a lack of funding as the primary reason for the delay in permanent improvements. As a result, the city has indicated that long-term safety upgrades may still take several years to implement.

PRASA’s Plan to Improve Safety

According to PRASA’s Raymond Maseko, the ultimate solution for improving safety at Buttskop is to build a bridge to completely eliminate the level crossing.

“After the 2018 incident, the Western Cape government, PRASA, and the City of Cape Town realized that we need to eliminate this particular level crossing. We then hired a consultant and identified land ownership around the Buttskop level crossing in order for us to begin the land acquisition process,” Maseko explained.

However, as this is a long-term solution that will require extensive planning, funding, and construction, PRASA has introduced several short-term safety measures in the meantime.

Short-Term Measures to Reduce Risk

To minimize the risk of further accidents, PRASA has changed the level-crossing operation in the following ways:

1. CCTV Surveillance – Cameras have been installed at the crossing to monitor road and rail activity in real-time, allowing authorities to detect potential dangers.
2. Modified Train Operation – Trains are now required to come to a complete stop before crossing Buttskop, ensuring that train drivers have full visibility before proceeding.
3. Reduced Train Speed – Trains approaching the level crossing now travel at a reduced speed of 30km/h instead of 90km/h, significantly lowering the impact of potential collisions.

Maseko emphasized that reducing train speed was a necessary adjustment, even if it results in slight delays for passengers.

“We carry 1,200 people per train, so naturally, you would want to give those passengers preference. However, the two-minute delay caused by crossing the level crossing at a lower speed of 30km/h is a necessary inconvenience to ensure safety. Previously, we passed through at 90km/h, which posed a much higher risk.”

Preventing Further Tragedies

PRASA has learned from past accidents that speed plays a critical role in the severity of railway crashes. According to Maseko, poor driver behavior at level crossings remains a major issue, and the reduced train speed will help mitigate fatalities in case of an accident.

“Any mistake made by a road user when a train is traveling at 90km/h is almost always fatal. That is why we have introduced these changes—so that if an accident does occur, it is far less likely to result in loss of life,” he said.

In addition to these measures, PRASA has urged motorists and pedestrians to exercise extreme caution at railway crossings and to always obey safety signals and barriers, even when they appear to be malfunctioning.

The Road Ahead: Bridging the Gap

While these interim measures offer some improvement, safety advocates insist that the only real solution to preventing future tragedies at Buttskop is the construction of a bridge. However, with funding constraints delaying the project, it remains unclear when work will officially begin.

For now, PRASA and the City of Cape Town will continue to collaborate on improving safety measures within the available resources, ensuring that the devastating crashes of 2010 and 2018 are not repeated.

Until a permanent solution is implemented, vigilance and responsible road behavior remain key to keeping Buttskop railway level crossing safe for all.