Concrete steps are being taken to overcome the “historic neglect” of the commuter rail system in South Africa’s most populous province as the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) moves to prioritise corridors and stations for revamping in the short term.

PRASA, in an effort to improve the future backbone of public transport in Gauteng, has identified the key stations and corridors to start its modernisation programme, Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi said on Monday.

These included the Mabopane–Pretoria–Germiston–Johannesburg-Soweto corridor, including the Tembisa loop, and the circular access network around the Johannesburg central business district – which as upgraded and modernised corridors would be capable of moving in excess of 50 000 passengers in each direction of peak times and reach up to 120 km/h on open track sections.

Limindlela, Krugersdorp, Germiston, Vereeninging, Kopanong, Belle Ombré, Pretoria, Leralla, Oilfantsfontein and Oakmoor stations have been earmarked in the short term for extensive priority upgrades, including closed-circuit security systems and cameras, as well as reaction units, for corridor protection.

Various other improvements such as speed-gate installations and better lighting and signage are also part of the plans to change the look and feel of train stations.

PRASA would then continue to modernise the rest of Gauteng’s 73 stations.

Gauteng would also boast a R175-million centralised control centre, tasked with centralising 43 signal cabins into one building to deliver greater efficiency and effectiveness in operational control over trains, by March 2015.

This control centre formed part of PRASA’s extensive new signalling system to replace the outdated copper cable-based system and manual lever systems, besides others, which would be rolled out by Siemens South Africa.

The signalling project’s R1-billion first phase started in January 2011, with completion expected in 2016.