Cape Town - Public Transport

[LandedFlyer]

Originally Posted by DennisRodman

is this in CapeTown?

No, this is somewhere in the UK, probably in South East England or London.

[Caisson Boy]

Originally Posted by LandedFlyer

No, this is somewhere in the UK, probably in South East England or London.

Looks like London Bridge station or something.

[Mo Rush]

2010 to Leave Western Cape With Safer Public Transport

BuaNews (Tshwane)
NEWS
8 May 2007
Posted to the web 8 May 2007

By Vivian Warby
Cape Town

The greatest legacy that the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup would leave the Western Cape will be an increased, improved, safe and reliable public transport system.

This is according to MEC for Roads and Public Works in the Western Cape, Marius Fransman.

With 1 132 days before kick off, 2010 has already acted as a catalyst for a series of developments, said the MEC at a Press Club lunch Monday.

These developments he explained, ranged from moves to put in place an integrated public transport system, to an improved roads system, increased work opportunities and the provision of much-needed bulk infrastructure.

"All of which will improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of residents of the Western Cape," MEC Fransman said, adding that appropriate tools had to be put in place.

However, for sustained growth he explained that there needed to be "more certainty and predictability and less populism."

The Western Cape's Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP) was recently launched and will see R30 billion pumped into a wide range of projects set to change the face of the province over the next few years.

The SIP is a collaborative effort between provincial departments of the Western Cape government, municipalities and the private sector, and will run until 2014.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will be one of the biggest drivers of the SIP, will benefit, to the tune of more than R10 million, not only the building of the much talked about Greenpoint Sports Complex, but for projects such as roads and Public Transport.

MEC Fransman however acknowledged there were a few challenges ahead.

One such challenge is that of underground infrastructure, which needs to be maintained as failure to do so could have dire consequences for the plans for roads.

"We have a rail system, which in the opinion of many has got lost somewhere in the 1980s."

But, said Mr Fransman, rail may well turn out to be the biggest beneficiary of the World Cup coming to Cape Town.

He said in this regard everything was working well with, for instance, new rolling stock (trains) being commissioned, improved security and a better communications service.

With these new developments, he said "rail becomes a more-than-efficient mass mover of people."

"The South African Rail Commuter Corporation has budgeted R1.2 billion to upgrade the railways system in the Western Cape. We have a bus service, whose vehicles are just about adequate, but ageing fast."

He said the department had adopted a hands-on policy regarding improvements to the bus infrastructure in the Western Cape.

"A few weeks ago, we received the results of a survey we commissioned to estimate the number of visitors to Cape Town, five days before the start of the World Cup to five days after it.

"The figure we were given came to 200 000."

Based on this figure, the MEC said the city would probably need about 300 new buses and about 200 luxury coaches.

"My dream - and I believe that it is not an impossible one - is that one of the world's major bus assembly companies will set up a plant in the Western Cape and, in building buses, will create a number of jobs for members of local communities.

"We have a minibus taxi service, which has only just started transforming itself after years of disorganized chaos, but which from time to time threatens to tear itself apart.

"The government of the Western Cape will have to take over taxi routes."

He explained that this was one of the prerequisites of the province's vision of an integrated public transport system that included minibuses.

"I want to make it clear one more time: my department will not allow criminals to be part of our transport system. If the minibus taxi industry cannot weed out the criminals in their midst, we will have to," said the MEC.

He explained that many taxi owners had acknowledged that for the industry to grow, diversification was imperative.

"There are far too many vehicles on routes that are already over-traded. We are hoping to rectify the situation by encouraging players in the industry to move into tourism transport, petrol stations, tyre sales and spares, among others."

The MEC also said there were far too many private vehicles on the province's roads.

"But we know we have to be able to offer safe, reliable and frequent public transport to help change this.

"We have a commuter population numbering hundreds of thousands. We have a relatively sophisticated road network system. But, at the same time, the extent of disrepair of our municipal road system reached approximately R780 million in 2004," said Mr Fransman.

"Work on various corridors, including the Klipfontein Corridor and the one on the N2, will enable commuters to travel to and from their places of employment much quicker - and probably safer."

The MEC said another challenge was that the country did not have a culture of non-motorised transport.

In this regard, experience from other countries could be drawn.

"The Western Cape does not have a culture of using non-motorized to the same extent that thousands of people use, say, bicycles in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. But we will be looking at this possibility too." -

Copyright © 2007 BuaNews. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

[Mo Rush]

MEC cautious about Cape airport over-rail

08 May 2007
By Donwald Pressly

Medium-term planning for improving infrastructure between the Cape Town International Airport and the central business district did not include a proposed over-rail link running on the N2 at present, Western Cape Transport MEC Marius Fransman said.

But the MEC said government was not saying that this was "a no-no".

Fransman, speaking at the Cape Town Press Club, said the plan was to close the four-kilometre gap between an existing rail line - near the airport - which ran into town.

Discussions were taking place with Metrorail but he also planned to meet national Transport Minister Jeff Radebe on the matter shortly.

Fransman said the provincial government focus was on expanding the bus service and extending the dedicated public service lane on the N2 - which runs past the airport.

He said an over-rail - which is suggested be raised up above the N2 - however, was not off the drawing board. "We are calling for proposals (from the private sector)," he said.

It was part of the longer term planning to consider two other over-rail projects, including on the N1 - which runs through a densely populated part of Cape Town on the way to Belville - and a route to the west coast area of Cape Town at Blaauwberg.

There had already been an investment on the N2 in the last year of 400 million rand where "we are talking about additional lanes".

"The Western Cape government has decided that critical to us is going to be public transportation," he said. The greatest benefit of the 2010 World Cup was to use this infrastructure fast-tracking as an opportunity to achieve this purpose.

Cape Town is to host a semi-final match at the proposed Green Point stadium.

There was much more certainty and predictability regarding planning in the province than historically, he argued.

The State would be investing seven billion rand in the Cape Town region on public transport in the medium term, noting that there was, indeed, a lack of reliable, safe and frequent public transportation.

Most rail investment in the area had taken place in the 1960s. He said the area had been running on that stock for over 40 years. With about 60% of public transport focused on rail, there was, he acknowledged "a problem with rail".

"We have agreed to up the existing train sets to 108. Currently there are less than 80 train sets in the province," he said, noting that this extension of the sets would take place over three years.

In the Mother City there were three priorised rail corridors - Bellville to Cape Town, Simonstown to Cape Town and Kayelitsha to Cape Town. "We are already extending the Khayelitsha rail extension at the cost of 400 million rand plus.

"We are also starting to look at rail corridors and land use planning," he said. The provincial government was looking at how best to maximise economic growth and development in the adjacent space to the rail lines in the corridors. "That is a debate that is ongoing."

I-Net Bridge

[Mo Rush]

Cape Town aims to tame taxi routes

By Melanie Gosling

Cape Town's ailing public transport system is set for a dramatic overhaul.

On the cards are:

# The number of trains being increased from 80 to 108.

# Bus subsidies being raised from R350-million to R500m.

# The free-for-all minibus taxi industry being integrated into the public transport system where the state "takes ownership" of taxi routes.

Cape Town is also poised to form a Metropolitan Transport Authority to iron out the fragmentation of the transport system, caused by national, provincial and local government authorities controlling different segments of the system.

The city will also get an integrated ticket system where commuters buy one ticket to ride on a bus, a taxi or a train.

These were some of the moves revealed by Transport and Public Works MEC Marius Fransman at the Cape Town Press Club on Monday.

He was speaking on changes to the city's transportation network in preparation for hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup semi-final.

Fransman said the provincial government had decided that public transport would be the "critical path-breaker" to economic growth in the province.

It had also decided to move away from a "populist" approach to planning and development in the Western Cape.

"The drive for 2010 is to create a long-lasting legacy for public transport. What this will require over the next few years is more certainty, more predictability and less populism," Fransman said.

This would also apply to the "not so sexy areas" of underground infrastructure, he said.

[kicaj]

Originally Posted by Mo Rush

image hosted on flickr

in memory of witch war is this monumet? secound world war??

[DennisRodman]

witch? u mean which

[kicaj]

Originally Posted by DennisRodman

witch? u mean which

oo yes my mistake so do you now the answer?? its look interesting, and i would like to know...

[Mo Rush]

Some news I've heard first hand:

1. The Public transport lanes will come into effect during the end of July and will be enforced using cameras. Drivers who disobey the rules will receive fines for each offence at the end of the month and will be forced to pay these fines as they would with any other fine.

2. The new busses will too be rolled out next year. The busses will be made in South America as they are in Europe and will be disabled friendly and will form the inner city bus system.

3. The Cape Town station redevelopment costs will rise to about R300 million. The main aim before 2010 is to clean up the entire station, but the major works which will cost billions will take place after 2010. The station redevelopment pre 2010 is not being taken lightly and will drastically improve the area.

"The apartheid station will be broken down bit by bit over ten years following 2010, during which major structural changes will take place"

4. As for the airport-rail link, all I was told is that there still remains a 10% chance that it will go ahead.

[Mo Rush]

allAfrica.com


Running Before We Can Walk

Cape Argus (Cape Town)
OPINION
18 May 2007
Posted to the web 18 May 2007
Cape Town

The development of an efficient, commuter-friendly public transport system in Cape Town is one of the great challenges our city administrators face.

Numerous proposals have been made over the years for inner-city solutions to the growing rush-hour gridlock . These have included proposals for a light-rail system, an improved bus service, a proper system of dedicated cycle lanes, and even the return of a tram service.

More recently, much has been made of possible spin-offs for the city that might be leveraged from the infrastructural developments that will be undertaken to get the city ready for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Transport has been identified as a key element that will determine the success of the event. It is also a critical requirement for the successful transformation of our city as it seeks to leave its apartheid legacy behind.

The revelation this week that there is a plan afoot to make developers of high-density projects in the city centre hand over a portion of their development budget to a public transport fund seems to be putting the cart before the horse, to use a transport metaphor.

What exactly will they be asked to fund?

Immediate responses to the proposal have been bewilderment, surprise, outrage and even derision - and with good reason. South Africa has acquired an unfortunate habit of setting aside funds for projects and then not being able to spend them. If this proposal is carried through in its present form, it could be yet another example.

The way forward is straightforward. Take expert advice, make a decision on the best and most effective public transport system for the city, and get the project underway. Only when they know full details of what, where, how and when, can private developers realistically be expected to contribute.

Copyright © 2007 Cape Argus. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
http://allafrica.com/stories/200705180496.html

[Pule]

Wrong post.

[Mo Rush]

The last I've heard was that there was still a 10% chance of the Airport-City Rail Link happening
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...2651945C893538
_____________________________________________________________________

Legacy projects included an electricity infrastructure of R151-million, road-based transport of R2,1-billion, rail-based transport of R1,7-billion, the airport railway to the CBD of R410-million, and an airport upgrade of R1,2-billion.

[Pule]

Good news Mo but transport around the country is my major concern as there's lot of talk but no action.

Oosthuizen also said yesterday that Gautrain will be complete by 2010, is this possible?

BRT in Jozi that is said to be based on Bogota hasnt kicked of yet. I dont think its fiscible for Jozi as it needs 6 lanes to be practical. Spoornet also seem to be dragging its feet.

Whats happening with Taxi Recap. Why are these people not updating us in regards to the transport progress.

[Pule]

Mo, when is Transnet gonna replace the current coaches that are running in the city and which other stations are gonna go under renovations. I just hope that all rail stations that are busy are gonna have the electronic information boards. That will be so helpful as you will know about delays and when the next train will be coming.

[Mo Rush]

A student's proposal for CT Central Station

[Pule]

Impressive.

[Mo Rush]

R1bn boost for province's rail infrastructure

Sipokazi Maposa 13 June, 2007 Cape Argus

The Western Cape government is set to spend more than R1 billion on improving the province's rail infrastructure, with a plan for an express train to service commuters travelling from Khayelitsha. [ Full Story... ]

[Mo Rush]

NEW PROJECTS

It’s not all about improving existing infrastructure and rolling stock. Metrorail also has an appetite for new projects. One such project is to refurbish the line from Motherwell to Port Elizabeth, with a new slipline to the Coega development, which is growing into a large employer – with potential for more should Alcan built its proposed aluminium smelter within the industrial development zone.

Another is a R100-million upgrade to the main Metrorail station in Cape Town.

This will form part of a R450-million project to link Cape Town International Airport and the Cape Town city centre.

“This project has been prioritised within Metrorail. Airports Company South Africa has already made provision for a station within its construction programme for the airport as it gears up for 2010,” says Montana.

The special nonstop service will make use of an existing line, with 3,8 km of new railway line to be built. It will be completed in time for the 2010 soccer World Cup, says Montana.Airport

[Pule]

I just hope that they will speed up the project Mo. But tell me does this mean that its gonna be just a normal Metrorail train?

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by Pule

I just hope that they will speed up the project Mo. But tell me does this mean that its gonna be just a normal Metrorail train?

well prob a newer version, i dont think it should be highly fancy...
the airport would include a transport plaza and train station which i think is good enough. will try and find out more.