Minister Carlisle Responds to SA Roadlink Legal Action Threat

Robin Carlisle, the Minister for Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape, has warned SA Roadlink that threats of legal action will not deter him from rigorous inspection of all public transport vehicles in the Province.

"Lest there be any misunderstanding, let me make it clear that we will check each and every SA Roadlink bus entering and leaving the Province."

"Whilst all buses are subject to scrutiny, SA Roadlink will continue to be a key focus of law enforcement attention until such time as they stop sending unsafe and unlicensed buses into our Province."

Carlisle pointed out that during his watch as Minister, RoadLink had been by far the most problematical of national bus operators.

"The only fatal accident involved a Roadlink bus. We have had to arrest and remove a very drunk driver from a Roadlink bus. We have pulled more unsafe and unlicensed Roadlink buses off the road than for all the other national bus operators together."

"Roadlink are the architect of their own misfortunes. If they get their safety act together, their buses will be able to spend more time on the road and less in the pound."

"We have a duty to protect passengers and motorists. This duty does not only apply to SA Roadlink, it applies to any company that is guilty of violating the laws of Western Cape Roads."

Minister Carlisle said the press release issued on behalf of SA Roadlink yesterday, 16 August, was disingenuous, bizarre and completely ignored the company's tragic history of crashes and traffic and driver offences caused and committed around the country.

"The company's assertion that they are 'totally aware of this victimisation' by the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works smacks of hypocrisy when one takes an honest look at who are the real victims - Roadlink passengers and other road users."

"Roadlink uses the inspection of Coach 404 - a photograph of a bus with sideways, crab-like movement available on request - which was pulled over on 26 July 2011, as an example of this 'victimisation'."

"Roadlink only contested two defects out of a total of nine. Thus they tacitly agreed that the bus had defective brakes, defective steering and a smooth tyre - a very serious crash just looking for a place to happen."

List of defects:

• The bus was pulled over after officers noticed it was "hanging to one side".
• No original operating licence in vehicle - just a copy.
• Defective window wiper.
• Driver's door cannot open.
• Excessive play on steering mechanism - very dangerous.
• Defective braking system. The difference in braking ability between the right and left wheels is more than 30% - very dangerous.
• Smooth tyre.
• Air leakage/defective air cushions.

"SA Roadlink must now provide us with reasons for why Coach 404 was allowed to depart at all when, as their release said, 'All our coaches go through a rigorous pre-trip inspection before every trip'."

Ten days earlier, on 16 July, one of their buses broke down just outside Beaufort West and the passengers were forced to wait 14 hours for a replacement bus to take them to their destination."

"On 10 August, just eight days ago, another SA Roadlink bus was stopped at Rawsonville weighbridge, carrying 37 passengers in the following condition:

• Faulty ignition switch, this bus could not start with the ignition switch, the driver had to start it at the engine compartment.
• Defective fog lights.
• Rear view mirror cracked.
• Driver's door hinges broken; door could not open.
• Air leakage/defective air cushions. Bus hanging to one side.
• Oil leaks at engine department.
• Oil leaks in the differential box.
• Excessive play on steering mechanism; universal joints to be replaced - very dangerous.
• Defective braking system; there is a more than 30% braking ability (difference) between two wheels on the same axle - very dangerous.
• The trailer that this bus was towing had no brakes.
• Due to unroadworthiness, the bus was towed away to Cape Town by means of a tow truck.

"SA Roadlink has also been summonsed for defects found on other buses stopped for routine inspections, such as overloading of passengers, vehicles being unlicensed and vehicles without operating licences."

"Clearly, traffic enforcement is performing its duties to the best of its abilities whenever it stops and inspects any vehicle that appears to be unroadworthy."

"I am told that SA Roadlink told a Cape Town radio station yesterday morning they would like to set aside differences with the Provincial Government."

"This is very easy to do. Once every bus they send into the Province is both safe and licensed we will have no differences at all."