The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) will make use of user-pay principles and tolling to fund key initiatives within the province's transport network.
The department launched a draft five-year Gauteng Transport Implementation Plan (GTIP5), which will address urgent, short-term measures to be implemented by the GDRT.
It acts as a precursor for the 25-year Integrated Transport Master Plan, which will be finalised by June 2013.
The GTIP5 will begin the process of refashioning the transport system, according to MEC Ismail Vadi.
“Obviously, a short-term report of this kind will not be wide-ranging and comprehensive. Notwithstanding this point, the GTIP5 is an important starting point for a meaning dialogue between the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport and the public at large on the shape, form and design of a transport system for a globally competitive city-region that Gauteng aspires to become over time.”
The GTIP5 document is open for public comment until 31 August. These will be considered and a final report will be given to the MEC by the end of September. In November, a technical task team will be established to implement the recommendations.
E-toll cow
The document says the levying of tolls on road networks should be part of the holistic approach to funding.
policies.”
However, “it's not that e-tolling is a holy cow”, says chairperson of the committee that developed the GTIP5, Jack Van der Merwe. “We're looking at all types of funding. There is no magic in funding. It must come from somewhere.”
Inadequate funding to overcome the current backlog and expected future requirements for transport has always been a major challenge, says Vadi.
He adds that apart from funding from the public purse, the GTIP5 suggests that other sources of funding such as toll fees, the issuing of bonds, borrowing, and private sector investment should be considered.
“It is our intention to host a Gauteng transport investor conference shortly to crystallise the investment opportunities in the transport sector. Gauteng authorities should be more receptive to private sector involvement in transport infrastructure projects and set out simple and clear-cut procedures for this to materialise.”
One e-ticket
The document says the GTIP5 aims to alleviate bottlenecks and address prevailing, pressing transport issues.
The committee set out 11 key short-term initiatives in the document. The department may choose not to implement all of these recommendations but Vadi says some projects will be up and running before the current office's term is over.
The first recommendation is to establish a transport authority for Gauteng in order to co-ordinate and integrate the transport system across municipalities and economic development nodes in neighbouring provinces.
The authority will run a province-wide public transport information centre. It will serve both the public and the GDRT by delivering real-time commuter and travel information via the telephone, cellphone or Internet.
Transport authorities will be provided with access to a centralised database of information, covering fleet management and geographic information.
This will help with planning and support, allowing for a “One Province, One Ticket” system where commuters will be able to use one e-ticket for payment across all modes of transport.
“This will obviate the need for cash-fee collection and reduce fraud,” explains Vadi.
Safe technology
The other recommendations are integration with the commuter rail corridor modernisation project of PRASA, restructuring subsidised road-based transport, transforming the taxi industry, investing in greener technologies for public transport, ensuring less congestion and shorter travel times, access to major freight nodes, considering international and city airports, improving pedestrian paths and cycle ways, effective management of existing transport infrastructure, and continuing province-wide mobility.
Vadi says the importance of travel demand management and easing congestion is obvious, considering Gauteng's population of 11 million is expected to increase by 16 million by 2037.
Van der Merwe says this creates the need for the common database of transport information where every user of the system will have an electronic footprint.
“Technology must be better utilised to make our roads and public transport modes safer. Motorists and commuters alike must be better informed of what is happening on our roads, trains, buses and taxis. This can help to reduce road crashes and fatalities, and help Gauteng residents to better manage their daily lives,” says Vadi.
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