Gautrain increases bus services after illegal drilling disrupts service [VIDEO]

Gautrain said it will increase its bus services to accommodate commuters affected by the closure of the tunnel between Park Station and Rosebank Station.

The transport company closed off that section of the tunnel on Saturday after discovering water and soil seeping in and hindering its operation systems.  

Gauteng MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, visited the site to assess the work currently underway to repair the section of the tunnel affected by the seepage.

“Ensuring the safety of passengers remains the primary focus while the repairs are taking place, a Gautrain bus replacement service has been set up between Rosebank and Park Stations,” said Diale-Tlabela.

ALSO READ: Catch the bus! Gautrain services between Park Station and Rosebank suspended

Gautrain services

Gautrain spokesperson Albi Modise said the train service between Rosebank and Park Stations remains suspended due to illegal drilling on a private property above the Gautrain tunnel.

“Buses will run every 15 minutes between the two stations from 05:30am to 8:30pm as a contingency measure. The drilling activity was not approved in accordance with the requirements of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act (GTIA).

“This illegal activity therefore caused the ingress of water and soil into the tunnel which impacts the ability to operate the system between these two stations,” Modise said.

Gautrain plans to take legal actions against property owners after illegal drilling on a private property situated above the tunnel led to soil and water leaking into a section of the tunnel. This has led to the suspension of services between Park Station and Rosebank. Gautrain's… pic.twitter.com/sPtgodJ4hl

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Schedule

Modise said Gautrain services continue to operate according to schedule at unaffected stations.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience and will continue to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that this incident is resolved to enable the restoration of Gautrain’s full services. The Gautrain apologises for the inconvenience caused by this disruption and hereby commits to keep our customers updated as more information becomes available.

“We urge all stakeholders to follow due process when any land use changes or construction activities are planned in the vicinity of transport infrastructure in Gauteng so that such occurrences are prevented in the future,” Modise said.

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