These heroes show us the way at the closed Mandela bridge: ‘The people are very nice’

Despite the winter cold, friendliness radiates from the faces of Azal, Gul, Ali and Selver Marja. These traffic controllers stand in the cold for hours to show us the way to the closed Mandela Bridge.

Dressed in thick jackets with hoods and sturdy work boots, these TrafficAll employees brave the cold on both sides of the bridge. The taxi drivers of the shuttle buses not only take travelers to the other side of the bridge, but also hot jugs of coffee for these heroes.

A lot of questions

The foursome started their working day at 05:00. “Yesterday it was really cold here, but today it is better,” says Gul. “We have to make sure people don’t go on the bridge, we answer questions. For example, passers-by ask when the work will start and how long it will take.”

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Shuttle buses run every 15 minutes to Zoetermeer East train station and to and from the United Nations Square. On the Driemanspolder side, Azal and Gul show the people where the buses are. Most know that the bridge is closed and that they cannot get on or off here by tram or train, but not everyone is aware. “I like helping everyone here,” says Azal. “It’s nice to be outside all day and the people are really nice.”

People were waiting for the train

On the Rokkeveen side, her mother Selver Marja and colleague Ali are also traffic controllers. Ali says: “We only picked a few people off the platform. They thought it best to go by train. But yes, it will not stop here.”

A construction site cabin and a chemical toilet have been placed on both sides of the bridge for the employees. But coffee can only be made in the shack on the Driemanspolder side. “We have the jug of hot coffee taken by the taxi driver to our colleagues on the other side of the bridge,” says Azal. “And during breaks we sometimes ride with the drivers so that we can warm up nicely in the bus.”

A big family

Selver Marja and Ali make it a pleasant working day. They keep in touch with each other via walkie-talkies and send messages to each other. “We are here until 3 p.m. and always make something fun of it. We work for a kind of family business. The team that takes over our service until 1 am consists of a father, a son and two cousins. We are just one big family. After my working day I go back home to The Hague.”