Draft Strategy to Accelerate Public Transport Implementation 2007-2014

8/13/2019 Draft Strategy to Accelerate Public Transport Implementation 2007-2014

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

Draft Strategy to Accelerate PublicTransport Implementation via a WIN-

WIN-WIN partnership betweenGovernment, Existing Operators

LabourPhase 1: Accelerated Recovery Catalytic Projects - (2007 – 2010)Phase 2: Promote and Deliver Basic Networks - (2010 – 2014)Phase 3: Advance and Sustain Accessible Networks - (2014 – 2020)

Operator-controlled,commuter-based,uni-modal routes, to …

User-oriented, publicl ycontrolled, fullyintegrated, mass rapid

publ ic tr ansport networks

S t r a t e g i c V i s i o n :To transform publ ic transport service delivery away from:



INTEGRATED MASS RAPID PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORKS FOR ALL!

CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGES 3-25 A. Public Transport is at a Crossroads In 2006

B. Transforming mode-based Vehicle Recapitalisation into Integrated MassRapid Public Transport Networks – Developing country lessons for South

Africa!C. Critical building blocks to achieve Integrated Mass Rapid Public Transport

Networks in South AfricaD. Phased Strategy 2007-2010-2014-2020

PART A: SETTING THE SCENE PAGES 26-56

1. Introduction2. Acknowledging the current crisis in Public Transport service delivery3. Current public transport supply status quo4. Current responses to the Public Transport service delivery crisis5. Implementation blockages hampering the transformation of Public

Transport6. A strategic context to guide Public Transport transformation7. High quality Public Transport networks are critical to achieving shared

growth

PART B: A REVISED STRATEGY FOR 2007 – 2020 PAGES 57-65

8. Where do we want to be in 20209. Vision10. Strategic Building Blocks11. Action Agenda – 2010, 2014, 2020

PART C: TAKING ACTION PAGES 66-7212. Land Passenger Transport Scenarios 2014-202013. Metropolitan cities as an initial Priority Focus14. Implementing the strategy15. Conclusion




EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A. Publi c Transport i s at a Crossroads in 2006

I. The public transport sector in South Africa in 2006 is at a strategic crossroads.

Over the next decade it either: Remains a third class service for captive users and thus loses ridership to

private cars – an unsustainable future, or

It undergoes a phased overhaul (between 2007 and 2020) to form anintegrated mass rapid transit network that is a viable, car competitive mobilityoption for ALL citizens in a city or district.

II. Looking 10 years ahead, the public transport market is likely to experience acontinuous decline as households with more than R3000 in monthly income (seeFigure 1) switch to cars (mostly second hand). Currently, one-third of all work tripsare made by cars, and households with access to a car increased 33% (or anadditional 808 000) between 1995 and 2003. Figure 1 shows these householdsper province and also shows the growth in work trips by car compared to publictransport between 1996-2003.

T h e r e f o r e P u b l i c t r a n s p o r t s e c t o r i n S A i n 2 0 06 is a ta s t r at eg i c c r o s s r o a d s .

O v e r t h e n e x t d e c a d e i t e it h e r :

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Figure 1

III. Despite the growth in car use, public transport and walking are still thepredominant “lifeline” forms of mobility for the vast majority of South Africans inorder to access work, schools and services. According to the National HouseholdTravel Survey (NHTS 2003):

38 million citizens live in households with NO access to a car, 40 million citizens do not have a driver’s licence, 14 million learners walk to school, 7 million workers and learners use public transport, 13.7 million used public transport at least once a week and 7 million used a car (see Table 1).






VI. Current users are very unhappy with public transport service quality. For example,the National Household Travel Survey (2003) shows that:

71% of train users, 55% of taxi users and 54% of user users are dissatisfiedwith the level of crowding on vehicles.

In addition, 74% of bus users, 64% of taxi users and 53% of train users areunhappy with facilities at stops, ranks and stations.

VII. To put it bluntly, over half the users on all modes feel they are packed in likesardines while travelling! Furthermore, when they get off the vehicle, the lack ofquality facilities reinforces this undignified treatment. This user experience in2003-2006 contradicts the 1998 Vision in Figure 2 below.

Moving SA Vision 1998“ From commuter-based modal transport to customer

[user]-based public transport”

“By 2020, urban customers wil l be able to participatefully in the various activities of city life by using a

public tr ansport network that provides as muchcity-wide coverage as poss ible and which is

affordable, safe, secure, fast and frequent.

“ The core of the public transpor t system wil l be anetwork of high volume, high frequency corr idors

in which public transport will be the priority.

“ Customers’ needs for improved access andshort t rip times will be met by having regular

feeder services to the high volume corridors, user-friendly tr ansfer facilit ies, short wait times due to

high corr idor frequencies and the possibility ofdifferentiated services for customers with specific

needs… ”

Rapid TransitNetwork

approach

MaximumNetwork

coverage

Frequent

Rapid

Integrated

Figure 2




B. Transforming mode-based vehicle recapitalisation into Integrated Mass

Rapid Transit Networks – Developing country lessons for South Africa!VIII. During the current term of Government, the Minister of Transport has, in Budget

Vote and other speeches, and during Transport Month, etc., called for thefollowing actions with regard to passenger transport:

• Fast track taxi recapitalisation and facilitate taxi industry participation in the currentsubsidised bus contract system;

• Convert interim bus contracts to tendered contracts;• Consolidate passenger railway entities, establish a Railway Economic Regulator and

develop and implement a passenger rail revitalisation plan;• Manage car use in metropolitan areas;• Implement priority infrastructure (e.g. dedicated lanes) for public transport, walking

and cycling and multiple occupant cars;• Ensure a sustainable public transport and non motorised transport legacy from the

2010 FIFA World Cup projects; and• Maximise opportunities to promote public transport and non motorised transport

infrastructure through the creative use of Municipal Infrastructure Grant, andExpanded Public Works Programme funding.

Twin Responses: Modal Upgrading and Integrated Mass Public TransportNetworks

In response to the Minister’s calls, the Department of Transport’s (DoT) interimstrategic approach (as endorsed by the Transport Lekgotla in April 2005) rests ontwo pillars.

Modal Upgrading

The first pillar involves effecting significant and urgent improvements in currentpublic transport services. This Modal Upgrading entails stabilising the operatingenvironment through short-term interventions such as:• Consolidating the passenger rail sector;• Rolling out the National Passenger Rail Plan;• Implementing Taxi Recapitalisation including improved regulation and law

enforcement; and• Transforming and optimising current subsidised bus services.

Integrated Mass Rapid Publ ic Transpor t Networks

The second pillar of the current interim public transport strategy entails thepromotion of a growing public transport sector that is able to meet the needs ofcurrent and new users. Key goals include the delivery of functioning intermodalsystems, high quality corridor-based services, adequate investment and re-investment and equitable basic access for a range of urban and rural users,




including the poor, scholars, job seekers and special needs users.

The second pillar above covers what this document refers to as implementinghigh quality, integrated mass rapid public transport networks.In support of both strategic pillars the DoT has also developed draft strategies

with regard to Rural Transport, Special Needs Users, Black EconomicEmpowerment, etc. Additional work is currently being undertaken on PublicTransport Subsidy Reform, Travel Demand Management and Electronic FareCollection and further work will be undertaken to develop strategies for effectivedevolution to the most appropriate sphere of Government and to achieve corridor-based networks at city-wide scale.

Selected provinces are finalising strategies to restructure subsidised Busnetworks. Municipalities have developed Integrated Transport Plans and selectedmunicipalities have developed plans for Strategic Public Transport Networks intheir areas. An interim Rail Plan has been submitted to Cabinet and detailed

Regional Rail Plans are being developed. A World Cup 2010 Action Agenda hasbeen developed and the World Cup Public Transport Infrastructure and SystemsFund has allocated a first round of funding to municipalities.

IX. The current challenges facing the existing modal-based public transport system,as well as the current responses by Government are listed below for each modeunder headings dealing with “Status” and with “Response”.

Passenger Rail Status

Passenger rail operations are currently on a ‘knife edge’ primarily as a result ofthe ageing train fleet (rolling stock) and rail infrastructure due to a prolongedunder-investment in this sector over the past 30 years. This has seen rising levelsof customer dissatisfaction, which has contributed to recent acts of arson againstkey rail assets as well as decreasing ridership levels.

The backlog in General Overhauls is currently running at 852 coaches out ofservice and an additional 485 coaches coming out of service during 2006/07.

Although there has been a substantial increase in the capital grant, it does notmatch to the current need for investment in terms of being able to supply anoperational fleet to meet current demand. Of the 4600 coaches only about 3200are operational.

In order to begin addressing this situation, Cabinet approved, in December 2004,that urgent action should be taken to improve the efficiency of the passenger railservices in the country by authorising a consolidation of the South African RailCommuter Corporation (SARCC), its commuter services operator, Metrorail and thelong distance rail operator, Shosholoza Meyl.

As a first step in implementing this decision Metrorail is being consolidated withinSARCC in order to streamline decision-making and ensure that the currentdysfunctional institutional arrangements do not undermine the realisation of urgentimprovements in commuter rail.






public transport mode on a national basis. Despite this large market share, ananalysis of the operating environment reveals the following:• An industry dominated by severe harassment, intimidation and violence,

especially over lucrative routes,• An industry that has been effectively de-regulated for nearly two decades, and

any form of regulation is viewed with suspicion and resentment,• An industry where profit margins are narrow and break-even points are

precarious for some operators, which results in activities to raise additionalincome,

• An industry where reckless and negligent driving is the order of the daybecause drivers are expected to reach a specified daily revenue target.Salaries and wages are then determined by what the driver brings home. Thedriver is therefore incentivised to chase as many passenger trips as possiblein order to make sufficient income.

• An industry which, because of its daily cash-based system, provides fertileground for money laundering,

• An industry where working conditions and training requirements are not givenpriority by the employers.

Taxi Industry Response

The TRP is one intervention to start addressing challenges prevalent in the taxiindustry. The TRP aims to achieve the following:• Set acceptable vehicle standards that are aimed at addressing road safety,• Ensure only legal operators ply their trade,• Ensure that Operating Licenses are issued in accordance with integrated

transport plans that support integrated transport and spatial development,• Promotion of regulatory instruments and frameworks including tax compliance,

working conditions and other applicable legislation,• Effective law enforcement,• Modal integration,• Promotion of accessibility for people with special needs.

Whilst the above is necessary, other essential issues need to be addressed inorder to move towards having a coherent, integrated public transport system thatresponds to the needs of users and of the country as a whole. These include:

Regulation of routes and facilities in the publi c interestTaxi associations (not Government) control the “right” to operate. In spite of beingin possession of valid and legal documents to operate, some operators areexpected to pay large “fees” to be allowed on routes.

The most significant transformation lever Government possesses, is to assertpublic ownership and control of routes and facilities and to remove these from taxiassociation control.

Joining fee and monthly operator contributi ons to associationsOperators are required to pay exorbitant fees to join an association (which thenbasically gives the “applicant” the right to operate) and monthly contributions for




the upkeep and maintenance of the associations. These monies are notaccounted for and because of the cash system and money laundering may beprevalent. It is important that Government should regulate these cash transactionsand that associations be transformed into Section 21 Companies so that money isdeclared and dividends are utilised in accordance with the law.

Co-operative governanceGovernment institutions are working in silos and fail to co-ordinate efforts andresources to make meaningful interventions to correct some of the malpracticesprevailing in the taxi industry. Government institutions like DoT, FinancialIntelligence Centre and the Money Laundering Advisory Council, SAPS, NIA,Crime Intelligence and SARS should be working together to close the loopholesthat are being exploited by the industry. Recent moves by the DoT and SARS toco-operate on the tax compliance issues of the industry is a start, however that onits own, without the involvement of other institutions, leaves a vacuum that needsto be filled.

Training and EducationThe initiatives carried out through the Transport Education and Training Authority(TETA) and Provinces regarding capacity development need to be supported tofill the education and training vacuum prevalent in the industry. Contributionstowards the Skills Levy should be promoted and employees should be protectedfrom dismissal when they attend training and education programmes.

InfrastructureThere is an urgent need for investment in public transport supportive infrastructuresuch as roads, dedicated lanes, ranks and public transport facilities andinterchanges.

Economic assistanceWhilst it is generally accepted that the provision of economic assistance to theindustry is necessary, there is also a need for support to be sustainable and topromote the objectives of Government with regard to providing integrated publictransport networks. The TRP, with its provision of a capital vehicle subsidy ofR50,000 starts to address this challenge but a long term sustainable mechanismneeds to be developed.

User-based assistance seems to be an option preferred by the industry for theobvious reason that the industry is the current dominant public transport mode.However, municipal Integrated Transport Plans have not sufficiently addressedthe challenge of fully incorporating existing taxi operators into re-designedintegrated public transport networks.

BEE in the taxi indus tryThe Taxi Industry, Government, Organised Labour and the Transport Educationand Training Authority (TETA) have committed to making significant strides inaddressing the issue of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment through thedevelopment of the Transport BEE Charter. The Taxi Recapitalisation Project as

well as using the taxi industry’s purchasing power for inputs such as insurance,communications, fuel, spares, etc., have been identified as primary areas of




benefit.

Bus Industry StatusThe analysis of the operational bus profile in the country shows the following:There are approximately 10 100 commuter buses (excluding the municipal and

long distance fleet).The total number of subisidised buses is approximately 7500.Thus making the unsubsidised number of buses approximately 2600.

Subsidised Bus ServicesThe current subsidised services are provided through the following contract types:

Interim Contracts:There are currently 31 Interim Contracts (26 operators), which were entered intoin 1997 and were due to expire in 2001. Since 2003 all Interim Contracts havebeen extended on a month to month basis. Based on the 2005/2006 budget, 66%

of the total budget (R1,563bn) was allocated to Interim Contracts.Tendered Contracts / Negotiated Contracts :There are currently 79 tendered contracts (38 operators) and 9 Negotiatedcontracts (5 operators) with a budget of R820m (34% of total annual subsidyallocation). The number of expired contracts is 73 and the balance is due to expirebefore the 2006/7 financial year end. Since 2003 all expired contracts areextended on a monthly basis.

Municipal Bus ServicesMunicipal operators are in most cases either solely owned by the respective

municipalities and function as departments within municipal structures or havebeen corporatised (i.e. operated at an “arms-length” away from the municipality asa financially “ring-fenced” entity). Many if not all municipal bus operators receivea deficit subsidy, where the short-fall between operational expenses and fareincome is bridged by the municipality.

Learner Transpor t ServicesProvincial Departments of Education are providing some financial assistance forthe transportation of scholars. Where support is provided, scholar transportsubsidies are mainly targeted at children attending farm schools or who live insettlements that do not have a school within a distance of 8 kilometers. These

subsidies are allocated by means of contracts between operators, parent bodiesand Provincial Departments of Education, based on a set formula (e.g. 12 centsper kilometer per scholar per trip of the Gauteng Department of Education in2003) and are fare based.

Subsidised Service Inefficiencies

Interim ContractsServices are based on the legacy of apartheid spatial patterns and are focused onservicing mainly worker travel in peak hours and little service is offered to othercategories of users (aged, scholars). Management and monitoring of Interim

Contracts is non-existent. This has led to fraudulent activities by operators, e.g. anamount of R60m was recovered from Golden Arrow Bus Services in 2003 and




there is a pending forensic investigation of another operator.

The average fleet age profile for these contracts is no longer contract compliantand may not be used in the tender system due to the age specifications fortendered contracts that are set at 15 years. Most of these vehicles are obsolete

and lack modern technology. This also impacts on the safety credibility of theservice.

The routes are old and have not been expanded to address current demand. Themonth-to-month extension restricts transformation and entrenches currentsubsidised operators. It also creates instability in the industry due to the inability ofoperators to invest in the fleet in the absence of a long term contract. Subsidypayment is almost exclusively mode specific and focused on large establishedoperators. Little support is given to rural areas.

Tendered ContractsDesigns of new tendered contracts are largely based on the types of serviceprovided under the current interim contract and the prior funding available to thatcontract. This does not incorporate a full re-design and rationalisation of allservices in an area in order to from an integrated network. In some areas there isa duplication of subsidy by subsidising parallel services on routes served by bothrail and bus. There is also a lack of standardised monitoring processes by thedifferent provinces who have awarded tendered contracts.

General Services Ineffici enciesInfrastructureThere is a lack of proper facilities at termini, stops and on routes. There is also alack of priority infrastructure such as dedicated public transport lanes as well aspoor pedestrian and public space facilities in the vicinity of routes.

Meeting user needsOnly those that were provided for in the previous regime are still being providedfor and other users such as physically impaired people, the aged and scholars arenot adequately catered for. Rural areas are not fully covered due to previousallocations and the current funding constraints.

Modal IntegrationIntegration of services provided by the different spheres of Government isproblematic due to the lack of co-ordination e.g. municipal bus services andprovincial bus services providing services in the same areas thus running inparalell.

FundingThe current budget is inadequate to implement regulated competition which willaddress renewal of fleet, safety, accessibility for special needs passengers,increased service provision and targeting.

RegulationThere is a need for more effective inspection and monitoring to ensure




compliance with bus specifications as set out in the Model Tender Document.

Bus industr y responseThe following steps are currently proposed in order to transform the operation ofsubsidised bus services:

• Services currently operating in terms of Interim Contracts need to beconverted to either Negotiated or Tendered Contracts and all expiredTendered Contracts need to be put out to tender as soon as possible toaddress issues of targeting, modal integration and improved serviceprovision. This was introduced in 1997 and is currently being implemented,

• For targeting purposes it is proposed that there should be a gradual movein subsidies towards the unemployed, poor, pensioners, learners andpeople with physical impairment. Attention should also be given to ruralareas and isolated communities,

• Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) should beimplemented as included in the BBBEE Transport Charter and the ModelTender Contract Document,

• The appropriate mode of transport in areas to be subsidised is to bedetermined or confirmed in accordance with rationalisation plans, that

would include the incorporation of taxis and small bus operators,• Establish dedicated public transport lanes and high quality infrastructure

and facilities that give priority to public transport over mixed traffic. Secureenforcement on these lanes to ensure that travel time by public transportusers is optimised,

• Identify and address parallel subsidies between or within modes by givingpreference to the mode that suits the route - focusing on a corridorapproach that provides an inter-modal operation,

• Institutional arrangements – address planning and funding for landtransport with the ultimate aim of devolution to local level,

• Include all public transport operators into a regulated environment in termsof service provision and vehicle safety,

• Integration of service designs should encompass services provided byProvinces and Municipalities to address inefficiencies and eradicateduplications,

• Form partnerships with the Department of Education to optimise subsidiespaid for scholar transport and to ensure that these services are providedwith in terms of the Model Tender Document,




• Development of a National monitoring model that will guide provinces onstandardised monitoring principles,

• Implement a public transport passenger charter to promote the rights and

responsibilities of the stakeholders of public transport i.e. drivers,operators, Government and passengers,

• The current contract system is based on Net Cost contracts. Evaluate thebenefits of Gross Cost and Net Cost Contracts with regard to achievingoperational efficiencies, increasing competition and risk allocation.

Assessment of Current Modal Responses

IX. While the above initiatives are a positive start they are unlikely to halt the ongoingswitch to cars from low quality public transport. As this document shows, theseamounts barely cope with the backlog of infrastructure and services across allmodes – let alone targets any meaningful system expansion and enhancement.

X. On the other hand, in order to justify expanded investment levels, there is a needto develop a robust municipal network vision and plan which facilitates speedyimplementation. The quality of this integrated network vision and plan isinadequate at present and there is thus no clear sense of direction that breakswith the status quo. In short, these plans are not adopting an integrated networkrestructuring approach and are not dealing with incorporating existing minibusoperations into a publicly managed integrated network.

XI. In the absence of a serious and scalable municipal plan for an integrated RapidTransit network, the stop-gap measure is fleet renewal of existing modes andbasic infrastructure improvement in pockets. While these are necessary, they areNOT sufficient, unless accompanied by the total reform of the operatingenvironment - designed around the non-negotiable needs of the user for rapid,safe, secure, dignified and comfortable mobility.

XII. Currently, there is a serious gap in all spheres of Government with regard to highquality strategic network planning and the related implementation of quickoperational improvements to address the damning levels of dissatisfaction ofcurrent public transport users. Nevertheless, it is possible for a co-ordinated, highquality effort to build on the existing work and to generate strategic networkvisions and plans for the major cities within 3-6 months after the approval of thisstrategy.

XIII. With fleet renewal being the main thrust of existing efforts, it must be noted thatfrom the users’ perspective, it is not good enough to simply replace an old taxi ortrain coach for a newer one - without restructuring the operating environment tomeet the essential needs of the user. This means, for example, that:

drivers of new recapitalised taxis and buses should no longer be incentivisedto drive as recklessly as possible in order to compete for passenger fares, and

even for refurbished rail coaches, unless total journey time is improved, the




service will NOT be rapid nor car competitive. Currently, the average railuser’s journey time to work is 87 minutes while it is 34 minutes for car users.

In short, it is not really good customer service if a taxi (whether old or new) isdriven in reckless manner - as the 78% of metropolitan taxis users are saying.Furthermore, customer retention is not likely to be achieved if a rail coach(whether old or new) is overcrowded - as 75% of metropolitan train users claim.

XIV. In this environment, and even with fleet renewal in the next 5 years, the longerterm prognosis for the public transport sector (including the minibus taxi industry)and its employees, is one of slow decline. Captive public transport users will begraduating to private motorised vehicles as soon as their economic conditionspermit. As car usage accelerates, the economic losses associated with theensuing congestion, accidents, environmental costs, and productivity impacts willbecome significant. Furthermore, from a social equity standpoint, the divisionbetween mobility for the wealthy minority and mobility for the poor majority willbecome worse.

XV. Therefore, the transformation of public transport service delivery requires morethan simple vehicle recapitalisation. What is needed is the implementation ofsustainable operating and infrastructure systems that function as an integratednetwork. These networks do NOT exist - even in part - in ANY South Africanmunicipality at present. In fact, municipal transport planning is still carinfrastructure biased and has simply not implemented ANY significant, high qualitypublic transport, or walking and cycling networks in the past 3 decades.

XVI. There is thus a need to learn HOW to implement high quality rapid transit systems – given the lack of local experience. This means engaging in partnerships withespecially Latin American and East Asian cities, whose recent implementationexperience in developing Bus Rapid Transit networks is relevant and challenging.

International Rapid Transit lessons of the past decade

XVII. A Rapid Transit revolution has occurred among cities in developing anddeveloped countries in the past 5 years. Led by Bogota in Colombia from 2001and Seoul in South Korea from 2004, dozens of cities all over the world are nowapplying localised versions of the mass rapid transit network model. Thisinternational shift from standalone modal services to a Rapid Transit paradigm,views public transport as something MORE than just a bus or a rail service andinsists that public transport networks can be high quality and car competitive,even in developing countries. Furthermore, the initial phase can be operationalwithin 3 years, given sufficient political will. Seoul took just two years for Phase 1of their restructured network to commence operations and Bogota took 3 years toget their TransMilenio system running.

XVIII. These Rapid Transit networks are NOT about particular modes ortechnology but are rather about a total service quality package over theentire user journey experience. They therefore combine both operations andinfrastructure into a single tailored system – setting it apart from conventionalmodal public transport services. This network system applies the SAME level ofhigh quality to BOTH road and rail-based components. This strategy will arguethat it is possible to implement a Rapid Transit system in 3 Phases with 2010,




2014 and 2020 serving as key milestones and with a focus on priority Road andRail corridors. The aim is to initiate a 3 year-3 sphere catalytic implementationpartnership that develops a city/district-wide Rapid Transit network vision andthen plans and implements Phase 1 of the system - comprising at least 2intersecting high volume corridors linking major township nodes as well as 2010

related destinations and which is run by existing operators and employeesaccording to strict public quality control overthe network.

XIX. The following is a list of features found onsome of the most successful Bus RapidTransit systems implemented to date (SeeFigures 3-8 below):

Physical infrastructure Segregated busways or bus-only roadways (Figure

3), predominantly in the median of the roadway

Existence of publicly managed integrated “network”of routes and corridors

High quality publicly owned and managed stops,stations, terminals and depots;

Enhanced stations that are convenient, comfortable,secure, and weather-protected

Stations provide level access between theplatform and vehicle floor

Special stations and terminals to facilitate easyphysical integration between trunk routes, feederservices, and other mass transit systems (if

applicable) Improvements to nearby public space

Operations Frequent and rapid service between major origins and

destinations Ample capacity for passenger demand along

corridors Rapid boarding and alighting (Figure 5) Pre-board fare collection and fare verification Fare-integration and free transfers between routes, corridors, and feeder services

Business and institutional structure

Quality control oversight from a specialised public entity/authority Entry to system restricted to prescribed operators

under a reformed business and administrativestructure (i.e. “closed system”)

Fare revenue controlled by public network authority -not by operators. Operators’ revenues are de-linkedfrom fares and based on vehicle kilometers suppliedand on quality of service - not on number ofpassengers carried. Therefore, no incentive to speedand drive recklessly.

Competitively-bid and wholly-transparent processesfor awarding all contracts and concessions – includeinformal operators fully

Figure 3. Segregated median b usway in Quit o.

Modern rubber-tyred vehicles that are buses but look liketrains

The pictures on the left and right show the space taken by thesame number of people using cars in comparison to a bus. It

highlights the degree of inefficient road-space consumption bycar users.

Figure 4.

Efficient management resulting in the elimination orminimisation of public-sector subsidies towardssystem operations




Independently operated andmanaged fare collection system Road Rapid Transit (RRT) characteristic s

“ F u ll ” RRTSegregated, median busways withmedian stationsPre-boarding fare collection andverificationRestricted operator access (closedsystem)

Free transfers between corrido rs andmodesCompetitively bid concessions

High frequency serviceand low station dwelltimesClean bus technologiesModal integration

High frequency

Minimum time atstop station (dwelltime)

No passing orwaiting to load,delays

Bus or Minibus (Road) transit is fast(RAPID) relative to general trafficbecause it is congestion free.Because it is cheap & RAPID, itbecomes attractive to car users

Figure 5. Explicit participation in new network

by existing informal/formaloperators and drivers, including job,wage and income guarantees toremove the perceived risks ofchange;

Technology Low-emission vehicle technologies Low-noise vehicle technologies Automatic fare collection and fare

verification technology System management through

centralised control centre, utilisingapplications of IntelligentTransportation Systems (ITS) suchas automatic vehicle location Figure 6 shows how rapid transit networks can be prioriti sed over private

cars and can thus serv e as an attractive alternative. Signal priority or grade separationat intersections

R o a d a n d R a i l R a p i d T r a n s i t in t e g r a t i o n

I n t e g r a t e d R a p i d T r a n s i ts y s t em – s a m e q u a l it yt o u s e r e v e n t h o u g hd i f f e r e n t m o d e s

F r e e t r an s f e r s b e t w e e nc o r r i d o r s a n d m o d e s --t h r o u g h f a r e i n t e g r a t i o na n d / o r p h y s i c a l in t e g r a t i o na t p l a t f o r m s

I n t e rm o d a l T r a n s f e rs c o n v e n i e n ta c r o s s t h e p l a t fo r m

F r e e T r a n s f e r

S u b w a y Free t ransferw i t h i n 3 0 m i n u t e s B us

Marketing and customer s ervice

Distinctive marketing identity forsystem

Courteous and safe driving style,and well trained drivers workingshort shifts

Excellence in customer service andprovision of key customer amenities

Ease of access between system

and other urban mobility options(such as walking, bicycles, taxis,paratransit, private motorised

vehicles, etc.)

Raised platforms at median stations and multi-door buses allow for rapid boardingand wheelchair access without the need for low-floor buses

i. alighting

• With platforms at stops and stations,conventional buses can be used(cheaper & less maintenance)

• Wheel-chairs can be pushed upramps to station platforms & bepushed on board

• No pneumatic chair-lifts required

Figure 7 shows Road and Rail based Rapid Transit netwo rks c an be integratedinto a singl e system (e.g. Seoul) through ensuring similar high quality operatingstandards on both rail and road.

Special provisions to easeaccess for physically-disadvantaged groups, such aschildren, the elderly, and thephysically disabled (Figure 8)

Clear route maps, signage, and/orreal-time information displays thatare visibly placed within stationsand/or vehicles

Private car use and parkingrestrictions

XX. Rapid Transit in the South African urban context wouldapply to all existing services -including commuter rail, androad-based modes. The goal isto define both a road and rail-based network that areintegrated to form a singlesystem based on a common level of service quality. In this regard the service quality on




all existing modes needs to be radically enhanced.

C. Critical building blocksto achieve IntegratedMass Rapid Public Transport Networks in South Africa

Figure 8 shows level platform boarding at stops/stations. This allows for fasterboarding, faster journey times and easy wheelchair access.

XXI. Cities need to transform the low quality services of their semi-formal operators(like SA’s minibus industry) into an integrated system that is planned andmanaged by the public sector while being operated by existing private operators.This shoud be done in a manner that gives existing operators, drivers and workersa guaranteed stake in a new mass rapid transit network and leads to a win-win-win breakthrough that guarantees and improves wages for drivers, revenues foroperators and service quality for users and Government.

XXII. This provides a valuable lesson for South Africa’s current recapitalisationinitiatives, for example. There is a need to reform ALL aspects of the operatingsystem (beyond just the vehicle) and there is also a need to do this in a mannerwhich does not place the risks of change on relatively more vulnerable operatorsand drivers. In this regard there is absolutely no reason why existing minibusdrivers and operators cannot be making more money with better workingconditions, by participating in a publicly planned and managed integrated massrapid transit network, and given the international experience, there is no reasonwhy the initial phase of this network cannot be operational within 3 years.

S t r a t e g i c R o a d m a p 2 0 0 7 2 0 2 0 :Summary of Way Forward: Building B locksCritical bui lding bloc ks fo r an integrated solut ion (2007-2014)

Integrated multi-modal rapid transitnetwork implementation

Transform bus/ m inibusoperators & labour intoRapid Transit networktrunk/feeder operators

Strong local public sector networkcontrol & management (Metro &

District/Province)

•Integrate bus tenderinginto new BRT networkcontracts

•Gross cost contracts with qualityregime, Electronic Fare Payment &Vehicle tracking link ed to ControlCentre to oversee operations.

•2010 Legacy and Operations based onmaximum overlap wi th mainstream Phase1 BRT and Metrorail Rapid Transit network.•Maximise role of existing operators.

•Local flexibility inintegrating Recap andBRT – depending onlocal network plan andtaxi industry agreementto participate in BRT

•Project team to form core of RapidTransit Network public institution thatis highly sk illed and plans, manages &monitors operations in both Metro &District networks.

•Rural District Integrated TransportNetwork Concept Plan

•Invest expert/high levelresources in businessplanning and negotiationwith local taxi and busoperators with regard tofacilitating maximumparticipation in local BRTnetwork. Guarantee jobs,wages and profits toensure local acceptance.

• Set up specialist ful l-time RapidTransit Local Project Team reporting toMMC-Mayor-MEC. Supplement localofficials & experts with Latin Americanand other international experts tofasttrack implementation.•International suppo rt needed as no SAimplementation of h igh quality PT-NMT-Car Use Management proj ects inmodern era – past 4 decades.

•Phase 1 Rapid Transit NetworkImplementation Plan thatCOMBINES: Metrorail Priority Corridors,2010 Legacy projects, BRT/SPTN projects,Bus tendering, Inclusion of taxi indust ry,NMT and Public Space up grades, and CarUse Management.

(Jan-July 2007)•Focus on up to 4 Districts & comb ine NewPeriodic PT services, NMT networks &Inclusion of existing op erators.Implementation from July 2007 onwards.

Table 4

(Jan-July 2007)

•Focus on u p to 9 largest ci ties & 2010venue cities. Rapid detailed design andimplementation from July 2007 – Jan 2010

XXIII. Table 4 above describes the critical building blocks to achieve upgraded rapidpubic transport networks in South African cities and districts.

XXIV. The strategic breakthrough of the international experience is to work with the




existing operators and existing road and rail infrastructure, in order to re-organiseand upgrade operations into a high quality integrated network. Currently South

African cities are falling behind these best practice Latin American and East Asianinitiatives. We are also falling behind the leaders in Africa as well -, Dar esSalaam is commencing implementation of the initial phase of a mass rapid transit

system that will be run by existing operators and Kenya has managed to tightenup regulation and enforcement of matatu (taxi) and bus operations. In fact, theSouth African transport profession, both within and outside of Government stillhas a hangover from an ingrained car-oriented design bias of the past 40 years.For example, there have been almost NO high quality public transport, walkingand cycling network implementation in the past 40 years in SA.

XXV. This lack of experience of actually implementing ANY high quality public transportsystems even applies to previous international special events in South Africa inthe past 12 years (e.g. Rugby and Cricket World Cups, WSSD, etc.). These ran inthe main WITHOUT even limited incorporation of public transport. These previous

special events were of such a scale that they managed to succeed with hiredcars, hotel shuttles, and coaches and NOT through making use of existingmainstream public transport services.

XXVI. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa will be qualitatively different in scale andtherefore will necessitate the use of high quality mass public transport systems tocater for high demand. This is completely NEW territory for the transportprofession in South Africa - hence there is a need for vigilance and quality controlto ensure that cities actually DO implement mass rapid public transport networksfor 2010 and beyond.

XXVII. Figures 9-11 below describes 3 possible scenarios by 2014 based on the ability ofthe South African transport sector to implement the critical building blockshighlighted above.

• Snail paced mod al stabil isat ion contin ues t i l l 2010.(e.g. Taxi Recap from 1999 to 2006?, Tendered bus c ontractsfrom 1998 to 2006?, Passenger rail rein vestment from 2001to 2006?)

• Regulation, management & enforcement st i l l WEAK!

• Current poor safety record on PT continu es

• Road-building p ressures in the Metros increase

• Continu ed car-oriented land use which excludes themajor i ty – no dense PT corr idors!

• 2010 World Cup w ill run in the m ain l ike Cricket andRugby World Cups and WSSD – big parking lo ts forcar users with l imited new PT services, increasedroad capacity for cars and tokenist ic NMT facil i t ies

• Very l i t t le/no quali ty NMT facil i t ies, poor NMT safety

• Car using richest 30% of passengers are only onescatered for in terms of basic access & mo bili ty

PT and NMTare still third

class opt ions!

Car users insuburbs push

for and getroad supply

solut ions!

A d ho c an dstumbling

progress onfleet recap but

no ability toimplement

core ofupgraded PTservices thatare Network-

based and notoperator-

based!

2014 Land Passeng er Scenario 1 - Business as usual –“ Band-aid” implementat ion

for the top 30% wh ile the rest stagnate!




Figure 9

Figure 10

• Some p rog re s s o n f l ee t r ecap i ta l i s at i on ac ros s a l lm o d e s – s t i ll o n l y 5 0% o f f l ee t t h o u g h !

• Pa r ti a l succes s w i th m e t ropo l i t an r egu l a to ry andmanagemen t capab i l i t ie s – som e p rog re s s on Phase 1imp lemen ta t i on o f Rap id Trans i t Ne tworks

• RTMC, e t c . r un a m odes t PT en fo rcemen t p rog ramm e• Mos t rou t e s s t i l l ope ra to r-d r iven e spec i a ll y fo r m in ibus

ope ra to r s bu t som e r edes ign w i th r ega rd t o subs id i s edcon t r ac t r ou t e s . A imed a t r at i ona l i s a t ion t ho ugh and no tun ive r sa l ne twork cove rage

• P r o m o t i o n o f k e y f l ag s h i p c o r r i d o r p r o j ec t s – t h o u g hsca l e i s no t enoug h to a l t e r t he pa s senge r t r anspo r t andl and use dynamics ac ros s t h e c i t y

• Pa r ti a l p romo t ion o f l im i t ed pedes t r i an and c yc l en e tw o r k s i n s o m e a r ea s – d e p en d s o n l o c al c h a m p i o n s

• 2010 Wor ld Cup see s some use o f TDM measu re s suchas HOV lanes , a tempo rary dedic a ted- lane PT sys tem ,v i s ib l e en fo rcemen t and s ch oo l ho l iday t im ing

PT and NMTare second

c la s s op t ions !

Bas ic TDMmeasures fo r

r ide sha r ing insom e a reas .

50% of a l lm o d e s

recapi ta l ised.

S o m e c o r r i d o rp ro jec t s bu tno pub l i c lycon t ro l l ed

core ne twork !

G a u t ra i n a tund er 40 000pax . t r i p s pe r

day & newwidened me t ro

to l l edf reeways

2014 Land Passeng er Scenar io 2 - “ Acce l e ra t ed b u t m o d e s t ”Focus on ro l l i ng ou t ba s i c s .

Pa r t ia l improvemen t s i n s om e se rv i ces !

• M o s t o f f l e e t a c r o s s a l l m o d e s i s r e p l a c e d• S t r o n g p u b l i c r e g u l a t i o n , m a n a g em e n t a n d n e t w o r k c o n t r o l• S t r a t eg i c R a p i d Tr a n s i t N e t w o r k i s s u b s t a n t i al l y i m p l e m e n t e d

a n d c o m p r i s e s m a j o r m o v e m e n t c o r r i d o r s w i t h B RT-t y p es y s t e m s , u p g r a d e d c o m m u t e r r ai l l in e s , g o o d N M T a n d p u b l i cs p a c e f a c i l i t i e s a n d n a t i o n w i d e i n t e g r a t e d e l e c t r o n i c f a r es y s t e m

• A g g r es s iv e TDM m ea s u res i n c lu d in g r o ad s p ac e rea l l o c at i o na n d a s c a l e d u p s y s t e m o f p a r k ‘ n r i d e s , H O V l a n es , P T l an e s

a n d p e a k -h o u r r o a d p r i c i n g• A s y s t em o f P T l an es /H O V lan es o n f r eew ay s an d ar t er i a ls i n

J H B , Ts h w a n e , C T an d e T h ek w i n i – S A N R A L a n d M e t r o s jo in t l y p r o m o t in g n o n -c ar b as ed o p t io n s th r o u g h m ark et in gc a m p a i g n s a n d r o a d p r i c i n g

• 2 01 0 Wo r l d C u p i s m o v e d t h r o u g h P T a n d N M T s y s t e m – u s i n gu p g r a d e d P T n e t w o r k s a s w e l l a s ad d i t i o n a l Wo r l d C u p P To p e r a t i o n s . S u b s t a n t i a l t a x i o p e r a to r i n v o l v e m e n t i n 2 0 10t h r o u g h R a p i d Tr a n s i t p a r t i c i p a ti o n

• M e d i u m d e n s i t y l an d u s e i s c h a n n e l e d i n t o P T c o r r i d o r s• S u b s t a n t i a l i n v e s t m e n t i n r o l l o u t o f N M T a n d p e r i o d i c P T

s e r v i c e s i n r u r a l a r ea s a n d s m a l l to w n s

PT and NMTn e t w o r k s a r e

p r i o r i t y o p t i o n sin p rac t i ce !

T D M m e a s u r esa n d P T s y s t e m s

o n m o s tf r eeways and

a r t e r i a l s .

95% of a l l

m o d e srecap i t a l i s ed .

P u b l i c l yc o n t r o l l e d R a p i d

Trans i tn e t w o r k s i n

m e t r o s w h i c hl ink to Met ro ra i l /

Gau t ra in

R o a d e x p a n s i o nfo r PT/TDM/NMT

– n o t c ar s

2 0 14 L a n d P a s s e n g e r S c e n a r i o 3 - “ S t r a t eg i c Sh i f t ”R o l l o u t o f I n t eg r a t e d M a s s R a p i d

P u b l i c Tr an s p o r t N et w o r k s f o r A L L !

Figure 11




D. Phased Strategy 2007-2010-2014-2020

XXXI. To assist in translating the vision into an Action Plan the strategy proposes 3action agendas:

• Accelerated Recovery and Catalytic Projects (2007-2010)• Promote and Deliver Basic Networks (2010-2014)• Advance and Sustain Accessible Networks (2014-2020)

Figure 12

S t r a t e g i c R o a d m a p 2 0 0 7 2 0 2 0 :Summary of Way Forward: Phasing

Critical building blocks for an integrated solutionIntegrated multi -modal rapid

transit networkimplementation

Transform existing b us/minibusoperators & labour into RapidTransit network trunk/feederoperator s – “ WIN-WIN-WIN”

Strong local publicsector network

control &management

Phase Accelerated Recovery &

Catalytic Projects2007-2010

PhasePromote & Deliver

Basic Networks2010-2014

Phase Ⅲ

Advance & Sustain Accessibl e Netwo rks

2014-2020

Metro/District Catalytic RapidTransit Project that integrates:Metrorail Priority Corridors, B usRapid Transit Corridors, 2010Legacy, New Rural SubsidisedPT services, NMT Facil ities, CarUse Management, BusContracting, Sustainable TaxiParticipation & Recap.

Expand initialRail/BRT/NMT PriorityCorridors into a BasicService Network i nMetros/DIstricts &phase in car usedisincentives.

Metro/District-widenetwork coverage.Fund PT/NMT throughlocal charging of carusers for road use &parking.

Figure 12 above summarises the phasing of the 3 action agendas.

S t r a t e g i c R o a d m a p 2 0 0 7 2 0 2 0 :S u m m a r y o f W a y F o r w a r d : B u i ld i n g B l o c k s

P o s s i b l e r i s k m i t i g a t io n o p t i o n s t o t r an s f o r m m i n ib u s i n d u s t r y t op a r t i c ip a t e i n B R T / R a il P r i o r i t y C o r r i d o r s

D e t a i le d o p t i o n s t o b e b a s e d o n b u s i n e s s p l a n n i n g a n d n e g o t i a ti o n a t l o c a l n e tw o r k l e v e l

R i s km i t ig a t i o n

o p t i o n s

• Vo l u n t a r y p a r t ic i p a t i o n• F o r m a l em p l o y m e n t• E q u a l o r b e t t e r w a g e s• B e t t e r n o n - w a g eb e n e f i t s• R e d u c t i o n in d r i v i n gh o u r s t o 6 -8 p e r d a y• O n g o i n g t r a in i n g w h i l eg e t t i n g p a i d f u l l w a g e s• R a n g e o f a l t e r n a t iv e

j o b o p t i o n s b e s i d e sd r i v i n g• S a f e r a n d m o r e s e c u r e

e n v i r o n m e n t• P e r f o r m a n c ei n c e n t i v e s / p e n a l t i e s

• Vo l u n t a r y p a r t ic i p a t i o n• G u a r a n t e e d b a s i c s t a k e i f c o m p l i an t• A d d i t i o n a l s t a k e d e p e n d i n g o n c l o s e d t e n d e r b i de x c e e d in g m i n i m u m c o m p l i an t q u a l it y l e v el• H i g h q u a l i t y b u s i n e s s p l a n a s s i s t a n c e w i t h c o - o pf o r m a t i o n a n d b i d p r e p a r a t i o n• E q u a l o r b e t t er p r o f i t s t h a n c u r r e n t o p e r a t io n s• S h i e l d e d f r o m d e m a n d r i s k / fl u c t u a t i o n s• P r o t e c t i o n f r o m i l le g a l c o m p e t i ti o n / v i o l e n c e• H i g h e r q u a l i t y s e r v i c e e n s u r e s e x p a n d i n g m a r k e t• P e r f o r m a n c e in c e n t i v e s i n c o n t r a c t• 1 0 Ye a r c o n t r a c t l i n k e d t o v e h i c l e l i fe w i t ha u t o m a t i c re n e w a l s u b j e c t t o p e r f o r m a n c e

• O n g o i n g b u s i n e s s t r ai n i n g & s u p p o r t• “ C o o l i n g o f f t ri a l p e r i o d ” – i f r e q u i r e d

L a b o u r O p e r a t o r




Figure 13

Figure 13 above describes the incentives and risk mitigation options that will need tobe considered in facilitating a move to higher quality networks by existing operatorsand labour.

Accelerated Recovery and Catalyt ic Projects (2007-2010)

The strategic thrust of this action agenda is to stabilise the current passengertransport service delivery environment as well as to recover from the accumulatedneglect of decades of under-investment in infrastructure and operations. It is anagenda for action for the short term and includes an Accelerated Recovery Plan toenhance the institutional building blocks and to fast track service improvements toend users.

The DoT and the transport sector has been working on aspects of this agenda since1996. However, the present public transport system continues to fail its customersand the nation. Without radical action, the public transport system performance willworsen. Urgent and systematic implementation is required (especially for achievingthe critical public sector building blocks) in order to accelerate the current modalstabilisation initiatives.

The Accelerated Recovery Plan needs to be developed in detail by end 2006. Itshould then be fast tracked in order to achieve physical implementation as soon aspossible. The critical components of the Plan are to ensure:• Investment in building local transport capacity for planning, monitoring, regulation

and network management; • Enhanced capacity for Operating Licence processing and alignment with transport

planning; •

Enhanced enforcement, inspection, investigation and prosecution capacity andcampaigns across all road-based modes (detailed action plan tied to the R2.2bnallocated for minibus recapitalisation regulation and enforcement);

• Capacity deployed to support municipalities to develop strategic integratednetwork plans, related 2010 operational plans, high quality public transportcorridor plans, Travel Demand Management plans, and electronic fare collectionplans;

• Local engagement with key stakeholders on the passenger transport vision andstrategy and Phase 1 implementation projects- including incentives andguarantees to existing minibus/small bus operators and divers;

• Accelerated initial rollout of fleet upgrading on all modes - Taxi, Bus, Rail recapand refurbishment;

• Detailed design and commencement of Phase 1 implementation of road-basedintegrated mass rapid public transport corridors. 1 Includes non-motorised network,facilities and service rollout (including small cities and rural districts);

• Planning completed for implementation of High Occupancy car lanes and ride-sharing promotion;

1. Mass Public Transport Corridor Programmes – User quality specific reform packages, service enhancements, modalinterchange upgrades, newer/refurbished PT vehicles dedicated, segregated median lanes with enclosed, clean and secure

stations and stops, real-time information –passenger and operators, pre-board payment and free transfers, high frequencyservice and low waiting times at stations/stops, modal integration, priority traffic signals -intersections, pedestrian and bicycleaccess and facilities and low- cost accessible and class 1-type features, etc.




• Pilot electronic fare collection and information system that is controlled by publicsector in partnership with operators; and

• Completion of network design that includes all current subsidised bus services inan area and commence initial implementation of gross cost contracts 2 with publiccontrol over fare income - in both metropolitan and district contexts.

A Stabilise and Recover Plan is the second component of the AcceleratedRecovery Agenda and runs over the next 3 - 5 years. The key objective is to ensurethe achievement of an effective public transport implementation platform. The keycomponents of the plan are to:• Devolve funding to capable municipalities;• Refine quality local Integrated Transport Plans that demonstrates improved

service delivery on immediate priorities and which include priority integrated massrapid public transport network projects;

• Develop Public Transport Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) tools and phase

these in, in order to support planning, regulation and enforcement (e.g ElectronicFare Collection, vehicle tracking and control, etc.);• Taxi, Bus, Rail recapitalisation and refurbishment continue;• Phased implementation of revised gross cost contracts for subsidised services, in

line with network vision;• Improved service information, maps, timetables, marketing;• Non motorised and public space network planning and phased implementation;• Aggressive roll out of the Shova Kalula initiative: 1 million bicycles in partnership

with Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and Community BasedOrganisations (CBOs) by 2010;

• Roll out rural public transport interventions, including piloting of subsidisationoptions;

• Engage with the Department of Education, provinces and municipalities to ensuremaximum accessibility of learners through the public transport network;

• Implement improved safety and security inspection, enforcement and prosecutionon all public transport modes;

• Enforce safer cycling and walking routes, particularly around schools, and throughmore human-friendly infrastructure design;

• Manage car use in the peak period in major urban congested corridors;• Engage with Department of Provincial and Local Government, Department of

Housing, Department of Land Affairs and Provinces and Municipalities to:o improve interdepartmental coordination with regard to housing, land

use and transport integration;o fast track the identification of priority local transport corridors and the

related location of medium density land use in support of these; • Promote land use planning aligned to public transport network, non motorised

transport and travel demand management planning;

2 . Gross cost contracting means that the public sector plans and manages the network and the fare revenue –not theoperators.




• Promote low-cost accessible and class 1 type features - painting designatedareas with high contrast colours, providing sufficient grab rails and push bells atcertain accessible points, use of visible sign language, etc. - and improveoperational service for special needs users; and

• Pilot full accessibility for users with special needs in all newly implemented mass

rapid public transport corridors.Promote & Deliver Basic Networks (2010-2014)The strategic thrust of this action agenda is to incrementally enhance and expand thepassenger transport system. It is an agenda for action for the medium term. Themain components of the plan are to:• Fully upgrade key integrated mass rapid public transport corridors – in all six

metropolitan cities as well as in other cities and districts. To cover at least the top20 mass corridors (rail/road) in the country;

• Finalise network planning and roll out revised gross cost contracts which includesmall bus and taxi operators;

• Roll out Passenger Transport Intelligent Transport Systems nationally;• Implement Travel Demand Management and car use reduction measures in all

metropolitan areas – including roadspace reallocation measures to prioritisepublic transport;

• Consolidate operators into capable entities that are able to provide high qualityservices in the formal, integrated mass rapid public transport networks;

• Implement supportive land use system on public transport corridors;• Mainstream pedestrian and cycling implementation and promotion, including high

quality facilities, infrastructure, public space and bicycle transport promotion;• Ensure safer and secure operations through regulatory and enforcement regime;• Roll out targeted public transport subsidies - user based and/or capital that are

linked in the main to integrated mass rapid public transport systems;• Increase the scale of roll out of rural/small town public transport services; and• Expand roll out of mass rapid public transport networks that are fully accessible to

users with special needs.

Advance & Sustain Accessible Networks (2014-2020)The strategic thrust of this action agenda is to significantly expand and transformpublic transport through large scale or critical mass implementation. It is an agendafor action for the long-term. The key components of the plan are to:

• Roll out fully interconnected integrated mass rapid public transport networks;• Ensure that most public transport facilities, vehicles and infrastructure are of a

high quality;• Improve maintenance of public transport infrastructure and facilities;• Promote high quality public space and non motorised linkages and networks;• Implement aggressive car use restriction measures aimed at promoting switching

to public transport and non motorised transport – including pricing measures;• Promote and coordinate employer-based car trip reduction programmes, park and

ride facilities, ride sharing, public sector employee ridesharing, etc.;• Implement land use measures thatsupport public transport corridor networks;• Ensure ongoing investment in innovative local passenger transport public sector

capabilities to plan, manage, promote, regulate, enforce, and monitor contracts,etc.




• Promote free minimum basic mobility for all citizens regardless of ability to pay –a lifeline mobility allowance;

• Expand rural passenger transport services and combined rural passenger andfreight transport services; and

• Expand universally accessible vehicles and infrastructure for users with specialneeds.

CONCLUSION

The vision that has been articulated comprises a strong municipal controlled massrapid public transport network that utilises the strengths of the public and privatesectors appropriately. This network should ultimately comprise the priority rail androad-based mobility system for a local area. It is an integrated system where modesare deployed in accordance with their optimal role and is based on public control overfare income, operator contracts based on contracted kilometers, and median lanerapid transit corridors with pre-board fare payment, that link to rail, feeder, non-motorised and public space systems.

The DoT firmly recommends that this substantive vision – in line with the positiveexperiences of Latin American and East Asian cities – is one of the few solutions thataddresses both current public transport users as well as current car users. As such itovercomes the dualistic nature of land passenger transport in South Africa andprovides a bridge to create sustainable and equitable mass transport networks for

ALL.

The DoT intends to refine this strategy based on public comment as well as based onthe currently commissioned research into detailed aspects of this vision. It is

envisaged that by the end of 2006, this strategy will be ready for formal adoption byCabinet and the DoT will be committed to aligning itself and the entire transportsector behind the key vision and concepts.




Draft Strategy to Accelerate PublicTransport Implementation

PART A: SETTING THE SCENE

1. Introduction

This draft strategy document aims to a develop a national framework for acceleratingthe transformation of public transport service delivery from 2007 to 2014 and beyond.

At the outset it must be noted that there are numerous past and current policy andstrategy initiatives in relation to public transport in general or to particular aspects ofit, (e.g. in the national sphere there has been the 1996 White Paper, 1998 Moving SA

Action Agenda, National Land Transport Transition Act No. 22 of 2000, InterimNational Passenger Rail Plan of 2005, Draft Rural Transport Strategy of 2005, DraftDoT Transport Plan for 2010 Fifa World Cup, Recapitalisation and TransformationProgramme for the Minibus Taxi Industry, Subsidised Bus Optimisation Programme,etc.). There are also several policies, strategies and plans at the provincial and localspheres as well.

This document does not intend to repeat the detail of this existing work which shouldbe viewed as complementary. Rather, the aim here is to review progress and tosynthesise an overarching strategic framework within which to contextualise andchampion current and future initiatives in public transport.

Thus, the focus of this document is on a strategic framing of the way forward asopposed to a fine-grained detailing of specific actions. The latter is the domain oftactics, which should be flexible and context-dependent - as long as there isalignment with the strategic vision.

Public and stakeholder input is encouraged and will be seriously considered inrefining this strategy, before submission to the Cabinet for final approval in the




course of 2006.

2. Acknowledging the Current Crisis in Public Transport service delivery

It has been 10 years since the White Paper on National Transport Policy (1996)committed Government to a thorough-going transformation of the land passengertransport sector. The White Paper, and the related Moving South Africa strategy of1998-9 and the National Land Transport Transition Act of 2000, promised theintroduction of a transformed and upgraded land passenger transport serviceenvironment that focused on the needs of the user. Government thus made a firmcommitment to promote the progressive realisation of equitable accessibility for allcitizens (regardless of income class, race, gender, etc.) so that they could leaddignified and productive social and economic lives.

This was to be achieved by:

Developing high quality local Integrated Transport Plans that redesignedthe apartheid-based route structures into an integrated multi-modalnetwork and also targeted subsidies at the optimal mode on a corridorwithin this network,

Devolving planning and funding for land transport (road and railinfrastructure and operations) to the local level through the establishment

of Transport Authorities, Implementing regulated competition through a system of operating

licences and tendering for subsidised and commercial service contractsand concessions,

Improving transport and traffic law enforcement,

Promoting the recapitalisation of the entire aging public transport fleet,

Promoting public transport, walking and cycling over private transport andbeginning to control car use in metropolitan areas, and

Channeling housing and commercial development into high density publictransport-based corridors.

For a variety of reasons, explained in detail later on in this document, the promise totransform and upgrade public transport, walking and cycling and to manage andcontrol car use has not been adequately implemented over the past 10 years –especially when viewed from the perspective of users and citizens.

At best, existing users of public transport have seen services stagnate - though it isvery likely that most users have experienced a deterioration in service quality.

The National Household Travel Survey of 2003 (NHTS), the public feedback duringthe 2005 October Transport Month, as well as regularly occurring negative incidents(such as late trains and the related arson, all too common and avoidable bus and taxi




crashes, overcrowding due to a lack of reliable vehicles and an aging fleet, and thelack of available and affordable public transport services and facilities in bothmetropolitan and rural areas) – all point to a widespread crisis in service delivery.This crisis affects all passenger transport modes including municipal, parastatal andprivate sector bus operators, Metrorail and the SA Rail Commuter Corporation, the

minibus taxi industry, and pedestrian and cycling safety and facilities.

Critical NHTS findings

In short, public transport services have deteriorated (from an already low base) andare providing a second and third class service to the nearly 7 million workers andlearners who use public transport modes on a daily basis. Another 14 million workersand learners walk every weekday. In comparison, 4.5 million workers and learnersuse a car to work and school. Essentially, the current service delivery crisis is failingthe 21 million learners and workers who walk or use public transport each weekday -while the 4.5 million who use a car are relatively well catered for.

Public transport and walking are the lifeline forms of mobility for over 80% ofhouseholds and for over 40 million people who are non-drivers

The NHTS shows that a total of just over 8 million people live in households withaccess to at least one car. In no city or province are there more than 20% ofhouseholds with access to 2 or more cars. Therefore, over 38 million South Africanslack access to a car in the household. Another 1.8 million households containing over6 million people have to share one car between all members of the household. Under10% of SA’s households have access to two or more cars at home. Around 80% ofSA adults do not have a driver’s licence. This means that over 40 million South

Africans are non-drivers and require some form of independent mobility.

Even in the six metropolitan areas 2.3 million workers (49% of workers) use publictransport compared to the 1.85 million workers (39.5%) who use a car. Another 415000 workers (9%) walk in metro cities. Therefore in the 6 metro cities, 57% ofworkers use public transport or walk compared to 40% who use a car to work.

Currently nearly 50% of ALL South African households use public transport to accesspolice stations and municipal offices. 40% of households use public transport toaccess medical services and post offices. 55% of households use public transport toaccess welfare offices and 64% use public transport to access non-food shops.

An additional 31% walk to police stations, 28% walk to municipal offices, 41% walk tomedical services, 38% to post offices, 25% walk to welfare offices and 15% to non-food shops.

Taken together 81% of households use public transport or walk to police stations,76% use these modes to municipal offices, 81% to medical services, 78% to postoffices, 80% to welfare offices and 79% to non-food shops.

Public Transport satisfaction l evels

Long commuting distances result in increased burdens on poorer households interms of travel times and costs. 46% of train users, 35% of bus users and 25% of taxi




users are dissatisfied with travel times. 30% of South African households (over 3.5million households) spend more than 10% of their monthly household income onpublic transport. The costs are also borne by the State, with the subsidy requirementof over R5.5 billion proving inadequate to ensure universal basic access in both ruraland urban areas.

Key NHTS findings in relation to public transport usage and satisfaction levelsinclude:

• 3.85 million workers use public transport. 3.15 million workers usecars

• 64% of workers who use public transport use a taxi, 22% use a busand 15% use a train

• 67% of taxi users are dissatisfied with safety (including 78% ofmetropolitan taxi users). 64% are unhappy with facilities at ranks and60% are unhappy with the roadworthiness of taxis

• 71% of train users are unhappy about the level of crowding, 63% areunhappy about security on trains and 60% are unhappy about thedistance between home and the station

• 74% of bus users are unhappy with the facilities at stops (e.g.shelters). This rises to 82% of rural bus users. 54% are unhappy withthe level of crowding on buses and 51% are unhappy with off-peakfrequencies

• A large percentage on all modes are unhappy with frequencies inboth the peak and off peak. For trains, 40% are unhappy with peakfrequency and 52% with off peak. For bus it is 41% unhappy withpeak frequency and 51% with off peak and for taxi it is 36% unhappywith peak frequency and 44% unhappy with off peak frequency

• 76% of South African households do not feel they have access to atrain station, 38% perceive no access to a bus stop and 8% cannotaccess a taxi stop.

• There is an urgent need to address the quality of public transport

facilities at stops and stations – 53% of rail users, 74% of bus usersand 64% of taxi users are dissatisfied in this regard.

The NHTS highlights that users are dissatisfied, that public transport costs comprisea large proportion of household income, that travel times are long and that access topublic transport is uneven.

Just as the Moving South Africa strategy found that in 1997 it was only car users inSouth Africa who were relatively satisfied with cost and journey time, likewise in 2003- according to the NHTS – car users’ average travel time to work is 34 minutescompared to almost double this for public transport users.

Unredeemed promise of the 1996-2000 policy and legisl ation




The 2006 reality on the ground means that the 1996-2000 policy, strategy andlegislation is still not fully implemented. For example, the system is still characterisedby:

• operator-driven routes as opposed to a publicly-planned and managedintegrated network;

• poor safety and security is common;• rising car use and suburban road building is promoted;• township and rural road infrastructure is still poor;• very little road infrastructure allocates priority space to public transport,

walking and cycling; and• lack of or poor public transport facilities.

While the current modal upgrading initiatives to replace taxi, bus and rail fleets are astart, they are not necessarily going to address the full range of dissatisfaction ofexisting users – unless there is a radical overhaul of the system and a move to highquality, integrated mass public transport networks.

In summary, the past ten years since the White Paper have not been maximallyutilised to alter the unsustainable land passenger transport trajectories of the 1980sand 1990s.

It is granted that the first important steps were taken in the late 1990s, but from auser perspective, these have either proved to be complicated and slow : as in taxirecapitalisation from 1999-2006, the establishment of only one, (relatively under-funded and hence ineffective) Transport Authority from 2001 to 2006, and the onlyhalf-completed bus tendering system from 1998 to 2006 - or have been ineffective

and negligible – for example public transport law enforcement, or have been contraryto the spirit of policy - the roads authorities politely ignoring the 1998 call to managecar use and to promote public over private transport.

In short, the transport policy and strategy of 1996-2000 has so far not beeneffectively translated into practice.




3. Current public transport status quo and current Government responses, bymode

In order to develop a strategic framework and vision to guide implementation until2014, it is necessary to understand the current challenges facing the existing modal-based public transport system, as well as the current responses by Government.These are listed below for each mode under headings dealing with “Status” and with“Response”.

Passenger Rail Status

Passenger rail operations are currently on a ‘knife edge’ primarily as a result of theageing train fleet (rolling stock) and rail infrastructure due to a prolonged under-investment in this sector over the past 30 years. This has seen rising levels ofcustomer dissatisfaction, which has contributed to recent acts of arson against keyrail assets as well as decreasing ridership levels.

This under investment in rolling stock overhaul has led to the position where therolling stock condition is deteriorating faster than the rate of overhauls. Unless therate of overhaul can be greatly accelerated the situation will continue to worsen.

The average age of the rail fleet is well beyond 30 years with some coaches alreadywell beyond 40 years. Since 1988 no investment has been made in new coaches.The refurbishment programme has been discontinued during 2005/06 due to financialconstraints and the current priority is to accelerate the overhaul of coaches asopposed to doing the more costly refurbishment.

The backlog in General Overhauls is currently running at 852 coaches out of serviceand an additional 485 coaches coming out of service during 2006/07. Although therehas been a substantial increase in the capital grant, it does not match to the currentneed for investment in terms of being able to supply an operational fleet to meetcurrent demand. Of the 4600 coaches only about 3200 are operational.

The impact of this will eventually mean a demise of passenger rail, which currentlycarries 2.2 million passenger trips daily and has the potential to be the most efficient,affordable and safe mode while more than trebling its ridership figures.

In order to begin addressing this situation, Cabinet approved, in December 2004, thaturgent action should be taken to improve the efficiency of the passenger rail services inthe country by authorising a consolidation of the South African Rail CommuterCorporation (SARCC), its commuter services operator, Metrorail and the long distance




rail operator, Shosholoza Meyl.

As a first step in implementing this decision Metrorail is being consolidated withinSARCC in order to streamline decision-making and ensure that the currentdysfunctional institutional arrangements do not undermine the realisation of urgent

improvements in commuter rail.

Passenger Rail Response

The National Passenger Rail Plan is being undertaken in two Phases:• Phase 1, now complete, is the Interim National Passenger Rail Plan which has

developed an overall strategy for the passenger rail sector and

• Phase 2 will be the National Passenger Rail Plan, which will develop regional,and route specific business and operational plans. This phase will also consider

the development of a strategy for the devolution of commuter rail functions tolocal transport authorities/departments, over time.

The National Passenger Rail Plan will provide the consolidated passenger rail businesswith a clear basis for delivering improved passenger rail operations and ensuring thatstandards are maintained throughout the transitional period.

The main finding of Phase 1 of the National Passenger Rail Plan process indicates thata future for sustainable passenger rail services will require that Governmentconcentrates the majority of available resources on high intensity ‘Priority RailCorridors’. The determination of these corridors is based on where rail is able toperform to its strength as a high capacity people mover. Other routes will be retainedbut given lower priority until such time as the business prospects of the industryimprove.

A number of alternative strategies were considered but it was concluded that only therefocusing of the business onto corridors where rail can operate to its strengths, willenable rail services to recover its rightful place within the public transport environment.However, the application of this approach will present challenges and problems for longdistance passenger services. It will require creativity and innovation on the part ofGovernment and passenger rail operator/s to ensure that rail continues to play a majorrole in facilitating greater mobility and improved access for all South Africans, especially

the ability of rural communities to access economic opportunities.

The “Priority Rail Corridors” strategy has been developed taking into account strategiesset out in the metropolitan authorities’ Integrated Transport Plans and will beimplemented in a manner that gives full expression to these plans.

A preliminary business plan has been prepared that outlines the costs involved and theactions needed from an operational point of view to enable the business to implementthe “Priority Rail Corridors” strategy. Even with the proposed focus on high-densitycorridors, Government investment will have to increase significantly from the presentR3.1bn to some R5.4bn per year in order to underpin future growth in patronage. Much

of the increase will be to accelerate rolling stock overhauls. A top priority in Phase 2 ofthe National Passenger Rail Plan will be to explore ways of increasing the role of




private sector financing and equity investment in the rolling stock overhaul and supplyprocess.

The main benefit of the “Priority Corridors Strategy” is that it offers a way to restorevalue for money for Government’s investment in passenger rail transport. In the

medium to long term the National Passenger Rail Plan holds out the prospect ofincreased use of the rail network on the priority corridors - with more effective,regionally based monitoring of finances and operational performance.

In December 2005, the Cabinet approved the implementation of the overall strategy forthe national passenger rail industry and also authorised the DoT to prepare thenecessary regional business and operating plans that will be needed to give expressionto the proposed new strategic direction.

Taxi Industry Status

Since the conception of the Taxi Recapitalisation Project (TRP) in 1998, the focushas been on to the actual rollout and implementation of the project. The TRP on itsown should not be regarded as the solution to the many problems besetting the taxiindustry.

With eight years having elapsed since the start of the TRP process, the operationalchallenges besetting the taxi industry remain pressing. Whilst the TRP is animportant intervention, there is a risk that fundamental issues that are significant tothe ordinary operator remain marginalised and this perpetuates the hooliganismexercised by some in powerful positions within the taxi industry.

Until such challenges are brought to the fore and dealt with decisively, the economicopportunities prevalent in the industry will continue to be enjoyed by a powerful andsometimes ruthless minority.

Certain sectors of the taxi industry remain vocal that for as long as the taxi industrycontinues to be excluded from any form of economic assistance from Government(while both rail and the bus industry are assisted), the industry will not be able toassert itself and compete effectively.

The current operating environment

The National Household Travel Survey confirms the taxi industry as the dominantpublic transport mode on a national basis. Despite this large market share, ananalysis of the operating environment reveals the following:

• An industry dominated by severe harassment, intimidation and violence,especially over lucrative routes,

• An industry that has been effectively de-regulated for nearly two decades, andany form of regulation is viewed with suspicion and resentment,

• An industry where profit margins are narrow and break-even points areprecarious for some operators, which results in activities to raise additionalincome,

• An industry where reckless and negligent driving is the order of the daybecause drivers are expected to reach a specified daily revenue target.Salaries and wages are then determined by what the driver brings home. The




driver is therefore incentivised to chase as many passenger trips as possiblein order to make sufficient income.

• An industry which, because of its daily cash-based system, provides fertileground for money laundering,

• An industry where working conitions and training requirements are not given

priority by the employers.Taxi Industry Response

The TRP is one intervention to start addressing challenges prevalent in the taxiindustry. The TRP aims to achieve the following:

• Set acceptable vehicle standards that are aimed at addressing road safety,• Ensure only legal operators ply their trade,• Ensure that Operating Licenses are issued in accordance with integrated

transport plans that support integrated transport and spatial development,• Promotion of regulatory instruments and frameworks including tax compliance,

working conditions and other applicable legislation,• Effective law enforcement,• Modal integration,• Promotion of accessibility for people with special needs.

Whilst the above is necessary, other essential issues need to be addressed in orderto move towards having a coherent, integrated public transport system that respondsto the needs of users and of the country as a whole. These include:

Regulation of routes and facilities in the public interestTaxi associations (not Government) control the “right” to operate. In spite of being in

possession of valid and legal documents to operate, some operators are expected topay large “fees” to be allowed on routes. Government needs to assert publicownership and control of routes and facilities and to remove these from taxiassociation control. This is the ONLY way to ensure that all legitimate operators haveequal access. Currently, municipalities are not geared up to assert the public’s rightto control routes and facilities.

Joining fee and monthly operator contribut ions to associationsOperators are required to pay exorbitant fees to join an association (which thenbasically gives the “applicant” the right to operate) and monthly contributions for theupkeep and maintenance of the associations. These monies are not accounted forand because of the cash system and money laundering may be prevalent. It isimportant that Government should regulate these transactions and associations betransformed into Section 21 Companies so that the cash is declared and dividendsare utilised in accordance with the law.

Co-operative governanceGovernment institutions are working in silos and fail to co-ordinate efforts andresources to make meaningful interventions to correct some of the malpracticesprevailing in the taxi industry. Government institutions like DoT, Financial IntelligenceCentre and the Money Laundering Advisory Council, SAPS, NIA, Crime Intelligenceand SARS should be working together to close the loopholes that are being exploitedby the industry. Recent moves by the DoT and SARS to co-operate on the taxcompliance issues of the industry is a start, however that on its own, without the




involvement of other institutions, leaves a vacuum that needs to be filled.

Training and EducationThe initiatives carried out through the Transport Education and Training Authority(TETA) and Provinces regarding capacity development need to be supported to fill

the education and training vacuum prevalent in the industry. Contributions towardsthe Skills Levy should be promoted and employees should be protected fromdismissal when they attend training and education programmes.

InfrastructureThere is an urgent need for investment in public transport supportive infrastructuresuch as roads, dedicated lanes, ranks and public transport facilities andinterchanges.

Economic assistanceWhilst it is generally accepted that the provision of economic assistance to theindustry is necessary, there is also a need for support to be sustainable and topromote the objectives of Government with regard to providing integrated publictransport networks.

The TRP, with its provision of a capital vehicle subsidy of R50,000 starts to addressthis challenge but a long term sustainable mechanism needs to be developed.

User-based assistance seems to be an option preferred by the industry for theobvious reason that the industry is the current dominant public transport mode.However, municipal Integrated Transport Plans have not sufficiently addressed thechallenge of fully incorporating existing taxi operators into re-designed integratedpublic transport networks.

BEE in the taxi indus tryThe Taxi Industry, Government, Organised Labour and the Transport Education andTraining Authority (TETA) have committed to making significant strides in addressingthe issue of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment through the developmentof the Transport BEE Charter.

The Taxi Recapitalisation Project as well as using the taxi industry’s purchasingpower for inputs such as insurance, communications, fuel, spares, etc., have been

identified as primary areas of benefit. The following table illustrates additional areasthat have been identified:



TAXI RECAPITALISATION PROJECT – POTENTIAL BEE OPPORTUNITIES

TaxiRecapitalisationProject Element

Sector where activity isgenerated Opportunities for BEE Equity

NTV Operator • Tourism•

Current businessoperation• Improved business

operation• Vehicle warehousing

• Pre-booked tours•

Curio sales• Catering• Deliveries• JV with NTV manufacturers

• JV with

NTVmanufacturers

• Deliveries • NTVManufacturer

• Automotivemanufacturing

• NTV manufacture• Component supply• Raw material supply• Vehicle distribution• Vehicle warehousing• Vehicle sales•

Vehicle maintenance

• Supplier development(especially SMME)

• Logistics management• Vehicle maintenance

Bank (Financing) • Commercial (financinginstitutes)

• New business in the form offranchises

DOT (Licencing /registration)

• Administration - Licenseissue

• Printing

EMS • Information technology • JV with EMS provider• Hardware/software supply• Sub component supply• Installation businesses –

fitment/retrofitment• New business in the form of

franchises• Maintenance and support

structuresConsulting

Agents (verifypayment)

• Consultancy services • Consultants• Taxi industry planning• JV with scrapping agent

Scrapping Administration Agents

• Recycling • Scrap metal sales• New business in the form of

franchises• Logistics support• Infrastructure development

Facilities • Building and roadsconstruction

• Construction services• Materials supply•

ConsultancyCommunication • Advertising and

marketing• Printing• Photography• Communications

Refurbishment • Engine remanufacturing

Draft Public Transport Strategy – Sept 2006 36




In conclusion, the self-regulation of the taxi industry should not be allowed to continue. Itis important the Government asserts control over routes and facilities in the publicinterest. In order to achieve this, municipality transport planning and control capacityneeds to be significantly strengthened. At the same time, municipality transport planningneeds to seriously incorporate existing minibus operators and drivers into a formalized,

publicly controlled, integrated public transport network.Bus Industry StatusThe analysis of the operational bus profile in the country shows the following:There are approximately 10 100 commuter buses (excluding municipal and longdistance fleet).The total number of subisidised buses is approximately 7500.Thus making the unsubsidised number of buses approximately 2600.

Subsidised Bus ServicesThe current subsidised services are provided through the following contract types:

Interim Contracts:There are currently 31 Interim Contracts (26 operators), which were entered into in 1997and were due to expire in 2001.Since 2003 all Interim Contracts have been extended on a month to month basis.Based on the 2005/2006 budget, 66% of the total budget (R1,563bn) was allocated toInterim Contracts.

Tendered Contracts / Negotiated Contracts:There are currently 79 tendered contracts (38 operators) and 9 Negotiated contracts (5operators) with a budget of R820m (34% of total annual subsidy allocation).The number of expired contracts is 73 and the balance is due to expire before the2006/7 financial year end. Since 2003 all expired contracts are extended on a monthlybasis.

Municipal Bus ServicesMunicipal operators are in most cases either solely owned by the respectivemunicipalities and function as departments within municipal structures or have beencorporatised (i.e. operated at an “arms-length” away from the municipality as afinancially “ring-fenced” entity). Many if not all municipal bus operators receive a deficitsubsidy, where the short-fall between operational expenses and fare income is bridgedby the municipality.

Learner Transport ServicesProvincial Departments of Education are providing some financial assistance for thetransportation of scholars. Where support is provided, scholar transport subsidies aremainly targeted at children attending farm schools or who live in settlements that do nothave a school within a distance of 8 kilometers. These subsidies are allocated bymeans of contracts between operators, parent bodies and Provincial Departments ofEducation, based on a set formula (e.g. 12 cents per kilometer per scholar per trip of the

Draft Public Transport Strategy – Sept 2006 Page 37




Gauteng Department of Education in 2003) and are fare based.

Subsidised Service Inefficiencies

Interim ContractsServices are based on the legacy of apartheid spatial patterns and are focused on

servicing mainly worker travel in peak hours and little service is offered to othercategories of users (aged, scholars).

Management and monitoring of Interim Contracts is non-existent. This has led tofraudulent activities by operators, e.g. an amount of R60m was recovered from Golden

Arrow Bus Services in 2003 and there is a pending forensic investigation of anotheroperator.

The average fleet age profile for these contracts is no longer contract compliant andmay not be used in the tender system due to the age specifications for tenderedcontracts that are set at 15 years. Most of these vehicles are obsolete and lack modern

technology. This also impacts on the safety credibility of the service.

The routes are old and have not been expanded to address current demand. Themonth-to-month extension restricts transformation and entrenches current subsidisedoperators. It also creates instability in the industry due to the inability of operators toinvest in the fleet in the absence of a long term contract. Subsidy payment is almostexclusively mode specific and focused on large established operators. Little support isgiven to rural areas.

Tendered ContractsDesigns of new tendered contracts are largely based on the types of service provided

under the current interim contract and the prior funding available to that contract. Thisdoes not incorporate a full re-design and rationalisation of all services in an area in orderto from an integrated network.In some areas there is a duplication of subsidy by subsidising parallel services on routesserved by both rail and bus.There is also a lack of standardised monitoring processes by the different provinces whohave awarded tendered contracts.

General Services InefficienciesInfrastructureThere is a lack of proper facilities at termini, stops and on routes. There is also a lack of

priority infrastructure such as dedicated public transport lanes as well as poor pedestrianand public space facilities in the vicinity of routes.

Meeting user needsOnly those that were provided for in the previous regime are still being provided for andother users such as physically impaired people, the aged and scholars are notadequately catered for.Rural areas are not fully covered due to previous allocations and the current funding





constraints.

Modal IntegrationIntegration of services provided by the different spheres of Government is problematicdue to the lack of co-ordination e.g. municipal bus services and provincial bus services

providing services in the same areas thus running in paralell.FundingThe current budget is inadequate to implement regulated competition which will addressrenewal of fleet, safety, accessibility for special needs passengers, increased serviceprovision and targeting.

RegulationThere is a need for more effective inspection and monitoring to ensure compliance withbus specifications as set out in the Model Tender Document.

Bus industry responseThe following steps are currently proposed in order to transform the operation ofsubsidised bus services:

• Services currently operating in terms of Interim Contracts need to be converted to eitherNegotiated or Tendered Contracts and all expired Tendered Contracts need to be put out totender as soon as possible to address issues of targeting, modal integration and improved serviceprovision,

• For targeting purposes it is proposed that there should be a gradual move in subsidies towardsthe unemployed, poor, pensioners, learners and people with physical impairment. Attentionshould also be given to rural areas and isolated communities,

• Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) should be implemented as included in theBBBEE Transport Charter and the Model Tender Contract Document,

• The appropriate mode of transport in areas to be subsidised is to be determined or confirmed in

accordance with rationalisation plans, that would include the incorporation of taxis and small busoperators,• Establish dedicated public transport lanes and high quality infrastructure and facilities that give

priority to public transport over mixed traffic. Secure enforcement on these lanes to ensure thattravel time by public transport users is optimised,

• Identify and address parallel subsidies between or within modes by giving preference to the modethat suits the route - focusing on a corridor approach that provides an inter-modal operation,

• Institutional arrangements – address planning and funding for land transport with the ultimate aimof devolution to local level,

• Include all public transport operators into a regulated environment in terms of service provisionand vehicle safety,

• Integration of service designs should encompass services provided by Provinces andMunicipalities to address inefficiencies and eradicate duplications,

• Form partnerships with the Department of Education to optimise subsidies paid for scholartransport and to ensure that these services are provided with in terms of the Model TenderDocument,

• Development of a National monitoring model that will guide provinces on standardised monitoringprinciples,

• Implement a public transport passenger charter to promote the rights and responsibilities of thestakeholders of public transport i.e. drivers, operators, Government and passengers,

• The current contract system is based on Net Cost contracts. Evaluate the benefits of Gross Costand Net Cost Contracts with regard to achieving operational efficiencies, increasing competition





and risk allocation.

FUNDING PROPOSAL – MTEF PERIOD 2007/8 – 2009/10 The conversion of all Interim Contracts and the replacement of expired TenderContracts will require an additional allocation to the annual bus subsidy budget for thecoming MTEF period (2007/8-2009/10). Considering the calculated estimated averageof a 30% increase due to the need for an overall fleet renewal programme, theestimated 2% increase caused by the need to provide accessible compliant vehicles andthe estimated 3% passenger growth demand for public transport services; an estimatedtotal increase of 35% on the 2006/7 MTEF allocation is required (excluding annualescalation). This amount spread over the next three financial years is indicated in thetable below:

MTEF MTEF ALLOCATION

Projected to tal increase of35% on 2006/7 budg etspread over 3 years forimplementation of

competitive tendering

% Increaseagainst baselineallocation

2006/2007 2,415,235,000.002007/2008 2,535,997,000.00 295,087,899.81 11.6%2008/2009 2,789,956,000.00 440,417,401.21 15.8%2009/2010 2,957,353,360.00 110,944,121.52 4%





4. Current response to the Public Transport service delivery crisi s

During the current term of Government, the Minister of Transport has, in Budget voteand other speeches, and during Transport Month, etc., called for the following actionswith regard to passenger transport:

• Fast track taxi recapitalisation and facilitate taxi industry participation in the currentsubsidised bus contract system;

• Convert interim bus contracts to tendered contracts;• Consolidate passenger railway entities, establish a Railway Economic Regulator and

develop and implement a passenger rail revitalisation plan;• Manage car use in metropolitan areas;• Implement priority infrastructure (e.g. dedicated lanes) for public transport, walking

and cycling and multiple occupant cars;• Ensure a sustainable public transport and non motorised transport legacy from the

2010 FIFA World Cup projects; and•

Maximise opportunities to promote public transport and non motorised transportinfrastructure through the creative use of Municipal Infrastructure Grant, andExpanded Public Works Programme funding.

Twin Responses: Modal Upgrading and Integrated Mass Public TransportNetworks

In response to the Minister’s calls, the Department of Transport’s (DoT) interim strategicapproach (as endorsed by the Transport Lekgotla in April 2005) rests on two pillars.

Modal Upgrading

The first pillar involves effecting significant and urgent improvements in current publictransport services. This Modal Upgrading entails stabilising the operating environmentthrough short-term interventions such as:• Consolidating the passenger rail sector;• Rolling out the National Passenger Rail Plan;• Implementing Taxi Recapitalisation including improved regulation and law

enforcement; and• Transforming and optimising current subsidised bus services.

The first pillar above, is what this strategy has termed Modal Upgrading - withaccelerated vehicle upgrading as its centrepiece. Modal upgrading, is necessary but notsufficient in order to achieve the vision of a sustainable mass rapid public transportnetwork.

While there has been some progress in the preparatory work for implementing TaxiRecapitalisation, consolidating Passenger Rail entities and developing an InterimNational Passenger Rail Plan, as well as the development of a Model Tender Contract





document for subsidised road-based public transport services – more strategic work isrequired with regard to: Providing a stable operating and empowerment environment for existing minibus and

small bus operators and drivers, which will overcome their fear of the sustainability ofa “once-off” recapitalisation subsidy, and will ensure their participation in a formalised

public transport network without fears of job and income/profit losses, and Ensuring the rationalisation, re-design and transformation of existing subsidisedroad-based public transport services into an integrated network of high quality massrapid public transport.

Integrated Mass Rapid Public Transport Networks

The second pillar of the current interim public transport strategy entails the promotion ofa growing public transport sector that is able to meet the needs of current and newusers. Key goals include the delivery of functioning intermodal systems, high qualitycorridor-based services, adequate investment and re-investment and equitable basicaccess for a range of urban and rural users, including the poor, scholars, job seekersand special needs users.

The second pillar above covers what this document refers to as implementing highquality, integrated mass rapid public transport networks.

In support of both strategic pillars the DoT has also developed draft strategies withregard to Rural Transport, Special Needs Users, Black Economic Empowerment, etc.

Additional work is currently being undertaken on Public Transport Subsidy Reform,Travel Demand Management and Electronic Fare Collection and further work will beundertaken to develop strategies for effective devolution to the most appropriate sphereof Government and to achieve corridor-based networks at city-wide scale.

Selected provinces are finalising strategies to restructure subsidised Bus networks.Municipalities have developed Integrated Transport Plans and selected municipalitieshave developed plans for Strategic Public Transport Networks in their areas. An interimRail Plan has been submitted to Cabinet and detailed Regional Rail Plans are beingdeveloped. A World Cup 2010 Action Agenda has been developed and the World CupPublic Transport Infrastructure and Systems Fund has allocated a first round of fundingto municipalities.

Evaluating Progress

In order to assess the current priorities and strategies listed above, it is necessary to

locate them within the 1996/8 Vision. The 1998 DoT MSA vision of moving “Fromcommuter-based modal transport to customer-based public transport” systems is stillrelevant 8 years later and is therefore reconfirmed. The key MSA strategic actions toachieve a customer-based public transport system viz. Densification of Corridors,Optimal deployment of Modes and Improving Firm level Performance (through wellplanned contracts, effective regulation and enforcement, encouraging capital investmentand the establishment of a stable funding framework) – remain pertinent in 2006 asstated in 1998.





D e n s i fy t o a c h ie v e e c o n o m i e s o f s c o p e a n d s c a le A gg re s s iv e u se o f con tr o ls an d in ce n ti ve s A pp ro p ri a te co -o rd in a ti on o f in s ti tu ti o ns

In f r a s truc tu re i nves tmen t t o supp or t co r r ido rs Se lec t op t im a l mode base d on cos t / s e rv i ce t rade - o ff Faci l i ta te di fferent ia ted service / choice where appropria teTough road sp ace m anagem en t t o p r io ri ti s e pub l ic t r anspo r tTa rge t subs id ie s a t a f fo rdab le acces s / op t imum mo de

Com pet i t ive tender ing to pr ivate sector, wi th incent ives forproduct ivi ty and innovat ionEffect ive regulat ion of a l l modes

Improved sus t a inab il it y t h rough cap i t a l inves tme n t

Moving S ou th Af r i ca ’s u rban t r anspor t s tr a t egy focuses on th ree key s t r a t eg ic ac t ions

D e n s i f y Tr a n s p o r tC o r r i d o r s D e n s i f y Tr a n s p o r tD e n s i f y T ra n s p o r t

C o r r i d o r s C o r r i d o r s

O p t i m i s e M o d a lE c o n o m i c s a n d

S e r v i c e M i x

O p t i m i s e M o d a lO p t i m i s e M o d a lE c o n o m i c s a n dE c o n o m i c s a n d

S e r v i c e M i x S e r v i c e M i x

I m p r o v e F i r m - l e v e lP e r f o r m a n c e

I m p r o v e F i r m I m p r o v e F i rm - - l e v e ll e v e lP e r f o r m a n c e P e r f o r m a n c e

In 1998 the MSA Strategy made the following forecast with regard to Urban PassengerTransport:

“Unless radical action is taken, the performance of the urban transport system islikely to worsen over the next 20-25 years

Decentralised land use patterns will increase public transport journey time and cost,and increase car dependence

The number of people without affordable access to public transport will grow The number of car users will double; road congestion will worsen and have asignificant effect on economic productivity and the viability of the public transportsystem

Although some action is being taken on bus and taxi regulation, there is considerabledoubt that it will provide the improvement required.”

From the vantage point of 2006, it can be concluded that the 8 years since the MSAstrategy have witnessed a lack of radical action to address a radical situation. Thepriorities and strategies from 1996-2006 are undermined by the lack of theestablishment of the building blocks of an:

effective government planning, regulatory and management regime at the localsphere in order to integrate route services into a publicly contro lled network.







5. Implementation blockages hampering the transformation of Public Transport

The passenger transport function is still fragmented across the three spheres of

Government and planning, regulation, management and enforcement are all ineffectual,unfocused and of minimal scale in comparison to the need on the ground.

The slow pace over the past 8 years in transforming passenger transport servicedelivery is mainly accounted for by the fact that Government in the land passengertransport sector has underestimated its role and capacity and has therefore not beenable to quickly follow through on the core implementation building blocks of: localinstitutional capacity, publicly planned networks, regulation of competition, public controlover routes and facilities, and strong enforcement of safety and security. Each of thesebuilding blocks are discussed below.

Institutional capacity and devolution of funding streams A major institutional barrier to passenger transport system improvement has been thefailure to devolve the appropriate range of functions and associated funding streams tothe local sphere of government. This is due to various reasons such as lack of capacityat the local level for planning the transport system and co-ordinating it with land use.

There has been an absence of an effective public sector platform of well resourced andeffective municipal transport departments/Transport Authorities that are closelyintegrated with the land use development, traffic, roads, licence boards and commuterrail departments or entities. This, coupled to the further absence of strategic municipalintegrated transport plans that prioritise public over private transport and which definecore public transport networks for rapid upgrading, has made it difficult to fully achievethe goals of the strategies and priorities from 1996-2006.

Furthermore, an ineffective governance and planning platform has also been coupledwith a planning regime at the local level that is not in control of the funding of operationsin its jurisdiction. This has resulted in nationally conceptualised and driven programmesthat are not fully responding to local needs.

It must be emphasised that the establishment of Transport Authorities at the localsphere is optional in terms of the NLTTA. Whether there exists a separate Transport

Authority or an internal city transport department, the key objective is to have alignmentbehind a local public transport strategy across all relevant transport, roads, land use andother municipal functions as well as close integration with the provincial sphere as wellas neighbouring municipalities.

Publicly planned networksSouth African metropolitan, urban and rural municipalities have not made adequateprogress in implementing corridor-based public transport networks that can serve as astructuring element of municipal spatial form and enable high quality, high volume public





transport services.

It has already been 9 years since the first corridor projects in the major cities and thereis little to show for the effort. In the mid to late 1990s, some SA cities embarked ondevelopment corridor projects (e.g. Wetton-Lansdowne in Cape Town, Mabopane-Centurion in Tshwane, etc.) which have not produced the results that were expected.One of the shortcomings of these projects is that they focused on the more ambitiousand challenging task of re-directing economic development in a city as opposed tofocusing on upgrading transport services along existing, well defined and high volumemovement flows (e.g. key township to CBD corridors).

Land Use integration

The integration and alignment of land use and transport planning processes is currentlyinadequate. Despite the rhetoric about integrating transport and land use and despitethe existence of Metropolitan Spatial Development Frameworks etc., there has been alack of initiative in developing public transport supportive land use controls and

incentives. Perhaps, could this is due to the fact that the land use managers and privatedevelopers as well as public sector land owners do not see well defined public transportnetwork plans and implementation projects that can serve as the structuring elementaround which to facilitate more dense and compact land development?

Contrary to policy and strategy intentions, most of the land development has eitherdecentralised further around private car-based corridors and nodes (N1 in Cape Town,Ben Schoeman Freeway in Gauteng, M4 in Durban etc.) or has focused on low valueland on the periphery for sprawling, lower density, low cost housing projects that aremainly served by mini-bus taxis.

Public transport as an ALTERNATIVE to the private car

Another aspect of the current network plans and practices is the lack of an overallconception of public transport networks as alternatives to the ongoing expansion ofprivate car road infrastructure and parking networks. This lack of taking public transportand passenger car demand management measures seriously, leads cities to reinforcethe inherited dual and separate systems of car-based road networks and informal publictransport networks - operating independently - and hence fails to maximise theintegrative potential of a genuine city-wide passenger transport system. The danger isthat public transport in a city is seen as a township-problem versus the car congestionproblem in the suburbs and separate solutions are attempted for both challenges - asopposed to transforming the problem through developing a single, strategic city-wide

public transport network solution for all city residents, both in the townships and in thesuburbs.

Dominance of car oriented infrastructure design

South African cities have also failed in the main to make major improvements topedestrian, bicycle and public space networks in terms of both improving coverage andquality as well as creating proper linkages to and from public transport. This applies inparticular in townships which are still pedestrian-dominant environments but which





generally lack any decent non motorised transport facilities.

Even where roads are built or upgraded, there is a lack of attention to designing theseroad spaces for all road users as opposed to the minority who use motor vehicles.Communities in townships across all metropolitan cities have resorted to protests andinformal traffic calming measures as a result of pedestrian-unfriendly infrastructuredesign. Given the National Household Travel Survey findings that 9% or over 400 000metropolitan workers walk to work (slightly more than those who use a bus to work inmetropolitan areas) as well as the fact that 57% or over 2.5 million metropolitan citylearners walk to school – the lack of attention to proper facilities and protection for these3 million daily pedestrians in the 6 metropolitan cities is a reflection of the car-orientedbiases of the passenger transport planning profession in South Africa.

Absence of a t ransi tion plan to ful ly incorporate minibus /small bus sector

In the run-up to and immediately after the passing of the NLTTA in December 2000,cities engaged in detailed technocratic project planning processes that have fallen short

of producing implementable network solutions (Durban’s North-South Rail corridor forexample) due to the realities of current mini-bus dominated public transport serviceprovision and relatively weak local public sector capabilities to actually manage andregulate the envisaged system, let alone manage a difficult transition period from thepresent. There is an urgent need to learn from the examples of Bogotá and Seoul withregard to guarantees to operators and drivers to minimise the perceived risks of therestructuring of their operations. Successful developing country examples in recentyears promote tactics such as engaging the transport operators about their role indeveloping and implementing a local vision and transformed network for passengertransport.

Transport planners have been unable to grapple with the reality of the present-day(operator-driven) network being mostly controlled and serviced by minibus taxis. Thisposes a challenge to transport planners - as taxi operators are threatened by networkintegration plans that turn them into “feeder services”, which they view as being lessprofitable than their current operations. No city or province has managed to develop afeasible transition plan that will take the mini-bus taxi industry (operators and drivers) onboard. Much more creativity and innovation is required in this regard to providingguarantees that non jobs will be lost and that no legitimate income will be lost.

A case can be made that Government has not shielded risk-averse small bus andminibus operators from the risks and uncertainties linked to the transition to a publiclyplanned network. In addition, the public transport restructuring plans and the taxirecapitalisation project, to an extent, have fallen short of minimising the changemanagement risks to existing minibus operators and drivers in terms of providing anexplicit guarantee of revenue and jobs which has characterised successful mass publictransport restructuring projects in Latin America and Seoul for example.

The onus should be on the public sector to design a high quality public transport network- with significant exclusive lanes and infrastructure - which will generate the efficiencies





and increased ridership that will allow for ALL existing operators and drivers to play arole in the transformed service and which does not threaten their existing jobs orlegitimate income.

Absence of a city-control led gross cos t contract ing system

Gross cost contracting involves the public sector controlling fare income and with privateoperators being deployed by the public sector in terms of an integrated network plan andare paid in terms of a contract for a certain number of vehicle kilometers.

This gross cost contracting system places the onus upon the public sector to plan anetwork that is attractive to users. It removes the need for drivers to compete forpassengers on the road as they are now paid for a set amount of vehicle kilometersoffered, and it allows for city-wide network access planning as opposed to operator-driven route-based profit maximisation. In addition, this change to a gross costcontracting system is coupled with guarantees to operators and drivers in terms ofincome and job security.

Therefore, a rethink of the current plans is required. These current municipal plans havea limited focus on upgrading bus and taxi services throughby renewing the fleet andmaking minor infrastructure improvements such as curb-side priority lanes, etc. Thisdoes not alter the operating system nor does it provide enhanced benefits such as acar-competitive travel time.

On the other hand, the lessons of Latin American cities highlight the fact that there is adifference between merely improving a bus/minibus service but essentially leaving itsspeeds, quality and operations the same as in the past – versus implementing a fullscale bus/minibus-based mass public transport network. The latter involves a strong city

authority which plans and controls a network and fare income and pay operators percontracted vehicle kilometre. In addition significant public transport exclusive medianlane infrastructure is constructed, with level platform boarding at stops and thesecombine to achieve car-competitive speeds and quality.

Regulation of competition An example of the public sector not having the regulation building block in place is thefact that, from 1996 to 2006, Provincial Permit Boards and now Operating LicenceBoards have been unable to effectively process, manage and regulate the applicationsfor permits and the later conversion of these to route-based operating licences – letalone conduct effective route capacity planning. This has essentially allowed routes tobe self regulated by operators. Boards are now almost able to perform their functionsadministratively but whether they are exercising any strategic control over the supply onroutes based on an accurate estimation of the demand is doubtful.

Public control over routes and facilitiesMunicipal control over public transport facilities and routes is weak. There is an urgentneed for support to the local sphere to begin to control and regulate ALL infrastructureand facilities on its core mass rapid public transport networks. This would also apply to





monitoring the service levels of rail stations and facilities as well.

Currently there is a realisation among certain provinces and municipalities thatGovernment needs to invest resources into fast tracking the planning of restructuredsubsidised road and rail networks as opposed to the simple administrative conversion of

interim contracts to tendered contracts with the same apartheid-inherited, operator-driven routes. While this development is positive, it could be argued that it is a buildingblock that should have been in place five years ago and needs to be accelerated.

Strong enforcement of safety and securityDespite irregular and random campaigns promoting zero-tolerance for traffic andtransport offences, public transport operators and drivers are still risking the lives ofmillions through unsafe vehicles and dangerous driving practices. For example, 78% ofmetropolitan taxi users are dissatisfied with safety. Even the more upmarket intercitycoach services have experienced serious lapses e.g. there have been several incidentsinvolving Translux buses and drivers in recent years. In the main, the safety violation onall public transport modes are due to weak inspection, enforcement and managementsystems as well as perverse economic incentives that lead to minibus drivers chasingpassenger volumes on the road as opposed to competing on service quality.

Conclusion – the need for devolution to well resourced and capable municipaltransport departments or authorities

The service delivery improvement goals of Government and users requires theestablishment of an effective local transport governance structure that is able to conducthigh quality planning and is able to integrate, fund and regulate a network of operationsin its area. The current fragmentation of passenger transport functions and fundingsources across the three spheres of Government, the limited planning and regulatorycapacity at the local sphere and the lack of a focus on developing strategic publictransport and walking and cycling networks - all serve to undermine the laudablepriorities and strategies articulated above.

A committed drive to ensure strong municipal transport department or authorities, withthe requisite devolved funding, is needed in order to ensure the development of publiclycontrolled networks of infrastructure and services.





6. A strategic context to guide public transport transformation in the Second

Decade of FreedomThe review above concludes that the overarching strategic challenge is to ensuresignificant public transport service delivery improvement, on an accelerating basis, fromthe present to 2014 and beyond.

Meeting this challenge will necessitate a strong, Government-led, multi-sphereintervention to stabilise, invest in, and transform public transport - which is a criticalsocial AND economic service.

Therefore, the objective for the next 3-5 years is to implement the key building blocks

that will enable a shift, away from the current operator-controlled, uni-modal, route-based services - that cater mostly for the peak-period worker trip.

From modal upgrading to integrated mass rapid public transport networks

In other words, any significant and sustained public transport service deliveryimprovement from 2007 to 2014, and into the future, will mean accelerating the currentprogramme of upgrading the vehicles and infrastructure of existing public transportmodes (e.g. taxi vehicle recapitalisation, refurbishment and replacement of commuterrail rolling stock and reducing the average age of the subsidised bus fleet), but it will alsorequire a transformation of the current service regime to go beyond the commuter-based, uni-modal route services and to phase in an integrated, mass rapid publictransport network that is publicly planned and controlled.

In this regard, the public transport sector in 2006 (both within and outside ofGovernment) is at a strategic crossroads, where a clear choice in favour of a highquality, integrated, city-wide mass rapid public transport network is required – especiallyin the metropolitan city context.

The key strategic choice over the next decade is between either:

Implicitly allowing the suburban, car-dependent leg of our passenger transportsystem to dominate and expand, and to increasingly congest city infrastructurenetworks in an unsustainable manner, both in terms of public finances, social equity,basic accessibility for non drivers, and environmental and energy efficiency, or to…

Explicitly implement a strategic shift towards sustainable and equitable mobilitywhich prioritises high quality, car competitive, integrated mass rapid public transportnetworks on a city-wide basis and which forms the PRIORITY mobility option inBOTH the suburbs and the townships.





An unsustainable car dominated future in metropoli tan ci ties – even wi th modal

public transport upgrading!In metropolitan cities in particular, even upgrading public transport vehicles within thecurrent operating regime is NOT going to retain those current captive users who will beable to afford a used car in the near future, as their incomes grow. Currently, access to acar in South Africa increases rapidly above the R3000 per month household incomelevel. Benchmarked internationally, South Africa is thus in the phase of potential “take-off” in car ownership and use - if nothing drastic is done to improve public transport asan attractive alternative.

In addition to the above, there is also a high degree of car dependency by even the“non-drivers” in households with access to a car. According to the National HouseholdTravel Survey of 2003 (NHTS), of the South African population of 46 million in 2003, justover 8 million people lived in households with access to a car. 70 percent or 5.7 millionpeople in these car owning households ONLY use private cars exclusively and canhence be termed “car dependent”.

Due to this high degree of exclusive car dependency and its geographic concentration inthe metropolitan suburbs - where over 90% of households use cars - even the current,relatively low, city-wide car usage figures are overwhelming significant sections of theroad infrastructure network.

The current set of proposals by Road infrastructure authorities seems to amount toschemes to justify providing additional road and parking space to suburban car users -who are the most inefficient consumers of road infrastructure and transport fuels. Thereis a lack of serious consideration of demand management measures to promote moreefficient car use as a short term alternative. In addition, there is a lack of co-operationbetween road infrastructure and public transport authorities with regard to developingPublic Transport services as an alternative to road building.

In conclusion, increasing metropolitan city car use in the next decade is unsustainablefor existing public transport suppliers in the long term (even those who have upgraded tonewer vehicles will be unable to compete). They will be continuously losing marketshare to used cars and their revenues and profits will contract.

In addition, growing car use will also be unsustainable in terms of supplying road andparking infrastructure in already well served areas as well as further undermining thecity-wide densities required for efficient public transport operations.

Hence, unless a car competitive, integrated mass rapid public transport network isimplemented within the next decade, metropolitan city car use is set for a significant





increase. Therefore, both road infrastructure AND public transport authorities need toalign their implementation efforts behind the goal of promoting high quality publictransport networks and deprioritising road supply increases for cars in already wellserved suburban areas.

Vision: Sustainabilty through QualityTherefore, the vision of where public transport should be heading involvesmaking a choice for SUSTAINABILITY through :

A phased implementation of a SINGLE, user-responsive, publicly planned andcontrolled system, that integrates routes into a multi-modal mass rapid publictransport network, and which provides maximum accessibility and coverage in a cityor district for ALL citizens, both in the townships and suburbs.

This vision is in stark contrast to the current situation where services across all thepublic transport modes are still operator-based, with weak oversight, and are designedto ensure maximum operator profitability on each route, in isolation from the users’ needfor a diverse and integrated network of origins and destinations.

Simply upgrading the vehicles without transforming the operating system will not proveto be sustainable in the medium term.

Most, if not all successful, high quality, mass public transport systems internationally,are based on a publicly planned and integrated network as opposed to operator-controlled routes.

In fact, recent examples from Latin America to East Asia have seen the public sector atcity level successfully reclaim control over routes and networks, while partnering withexisting private operators in a quality-oriented operating system that removes theincentive for public transport drivers to chase for passenger numbers at all costs.

The Vision of Integrated Mass Rapid Public Transpor t Networks poses challengesfor: existing Modal Upgrading Initiatives; Road infrastructure strategy; and forLocal sphere capacity

This vision above, poses challenges for current implementation initiatives in both thepublic transport as well as road infrastructure arenas:

Modal Upgrading challengeThe current public transport modal upgrading initiatives of taxi recapitalisation,passenger rail consolidation and subsidised bus service optimisation – while going someway to improving and stabilising the modal environment in the short term - will have tobe translated, in the medium term, into high quality, integrated networks of carcompetitive infrastructure and operations at the local sphere. Options here will





necessarily involve significant priority road space and facilities for public transport, aswell as public sector planning and control over the quality and quantity of operations inwell designed mass public transport corridors and networks.

In short, while there is a need to accelerate the necessary vehicular upgrading, there is

also the challenge of going beyond this in order to restructure operations into a highquality integrated network.

Local sphere capacity challengeThe local sphere thus needs to be supported to ensure that it is able to plan, manageand control a high quality, integrated mass rapid public transport network in whichoperators are contracted by the public authority to provide a certain quantity of serviceaccording to strict performance quality criteria. Currently metropolitan transportdepartments are not geared up to play an effective planning and oversight role.

Road inf rastructure strategy alignment challengeFor the road infrastructure authorities, the challenge will be to partner with the localsphere to implement car use demand management incentives and penalties as an

ALTERNATIVE to supplying increasing road and parking infrastructure in already wellserved areas - such as the metropolitan suburbs. Therefore, there is a need to radicallyrethink the current approach to dealing with metropolitan freeway and suburban privatecar congestion.

This vision - which de-emphasises increasing road and parking infrastructure for privatecars in already well served suburban areas, in favour of prioritising high quality,integrated public transport services in ALL parts of the city or district – will be impossibleto attain if Government’s road infrastructure authorities simply continue to try to “buildour way” out of congestion.

Conclusion

The challenge is thus to transcend and transform the dualistic, apartheid–inheritedsystems of car dependent suburban users and uni-modal, public transport captivetownship users. This must be replaced by a vision which commits to high quality, costeffective, mass rapid public transport networks for ALL citizens.

At the outset, this strategy recognises the need to break with the “business as usual”implementation culture of the past 10 years and it proposes an acceleratedimplementation vision that will provide clear direction to all spheres of Government,operators and users. The three spheres of Government need to not only work harderand faster but also need to work a lot smarter with regard to improving public transportservice delivery.

South Africa - given its current level of resources as well as the challenge posed byincreasing metropolitan car use – cannot afford to NOT implement an initial phase ofsustainable mass rapid public transport networks, in especially the metropolitan and





other large cities, within a 3-5 year horizon, followed by a further expansion of thesenetworks over the next 5-15 years.

7. High Quality Public Transport Networks are critical to achieving shared growthSeveral Government policy and strategy documents identify transport as a key elementin achieving desired economic, social and environmental outcomes. These include the

Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for SA, Millennium Development Goals,National Climate Change Strategy, National Energy Efficiency and ConservationStrategy, National Vehicle Emissions Strategy, National Spatial DevelopmentPerspective, etc .

While there has been some progress in focusing on lowering the costs of freighttransport to the first economy, there is a relative under-appreciation of the importance(to both the first and second economies) of an intensified Government-led drive towardsmore sustainable and balanced land passenger transport options.

South Africa’s ability to generate the desired shared economic growth will requireexcellent public transport systems that are more than just peak hour commuter services.The 2003 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) shows that 74% of all householdslack access to a car and are hence dependent on public transport and walking.

If these 9 million households (or more than 38 million citizens) are to have a meaningfulstake in South African society and its economy, then public transport is going to have tomove them efficiently to and from opportunities and activities, both day and night – inboth metropolitan, urban and rural areas.

Public transport systems are therefore, the connection between the ‘two economies’ (orat least between opposite poles of a single economy), and as such, they are vitallyimportant to the economic empowerment of the majority (and of the poor in particular)and remain the only way to promote sustainable mobility for all citizens (rich and poor) inboth cities and districts.

For public transport to be seen as an attractive and credible service it requires a rangeof measures designed to address service quality such as accessibility, affordability,

journey time, safety, security, reliability, frequency and image. Current modal upgradinginitiatives are an important start but are not sufficient to address the full service packagedemanded by both existing captive users as well as car users.

The current crisis in public transport service delivery will make it harder to attain thegoals of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa. For example, thelack of public transport services at night hampers the introduction of adding extra shifts,and is a barrier for workers who work irregular hours (e.g. security, retail, call centres,airports etc.). Unavailable and unaffordable public transport services prevent theunemployed from seeking and accessing jobs and prevents learners from accessing





schools, libraries and places of adult and further education (especially after workinghours).

The lack of good passenger transport networks and the related dependence on cars andever-wider arterial roads and intersections undermines the attractiveness of SA’s cities

to tourists and visitors. This is currently being brought into sharp focus by the need tohave attractive public transport options for South Africans as well as for visitors to the2010 World Cup.

A simple comparison of the time it will take to clear a 50 000 seat stadium by bus versuscars with four passengers, shows that the car based option would take 6 times as long(3 hours versus 30 minutes) and will require a five fold increase in space for parking.

Table 1 Clearing 50,000 People From a Stadium Bus Automobile

Vehicles 1,000 (50/bus) 12,500 (4/car)Parking (Acres) 20 (50/acre) 100 (125/acre)Veh./Lane-Hour 500 1,000Four Exit Lanes 0.5 Hours 3.1 Hours

Growing car use and the related inefficient use of fuel and land (for roads and parking),increasing emissions, and urban dispersion all serve to undermine the efficiency,inclusivity and livability of sustainable cities.

Demand management as opposed to supplying additional road infrastructure cantherefore provide large cost savings. Table 2 below, shows Todd Litman’s work at theVictoria Transport Policy Institute in Canada which compares the costs of anautomobile-centred city versus one in which public transport is dominant versus one with

universal non-motorised accessibility.

An automobile dependent transport system requires about R50 000 annually per capitafor road and parking facilities and vehicles, not including indirect costs such ascongestion delays, accidents and pollution damages. A high quality public transportsystem costs about a tenth as much, and high quality non-motorised facilities cost abouta hundredth as much.

Table 2 Per Capita Annu al Costs Of Different Transpor t Systems Automobile Public Transport Non-motorized

CostsRoads R5,000

Parking R15,000Vehicle R30,000

Fares R4,000Vehicles R1,000

Sidewalks & Paths: R500

Totals R50,000 R5,000 R500This table summarizes typical annualised costs per capita of various types of transport systems. This doesnot include indirect costs, such as congestion, accidents and pollution damages.

Therefore, the strategic vision of high quality, integrated mass public transport networksis critical to achieving accelerated and shared growth and development. A high-volume,





high frequency public transport network - that operates 7 days a week and 16-24 hoursa day and coupled with demand control measures over private cars, will enable:

maximal equitable mobility for all in an area in order to further social and economicopportunities (e.g. greater use of night-schools, after hours educational andrecreational facilities, and increased ability to add shifts, etc.).

It will also save citizens time. 23% of metropolitan workers take longer than 1 hour to getto work. With public transport priority measures, the majority will be able to travel fasterand at less cost. For example, Bogota managed to improve public transport travel timeby up to 30 percent through implementing a mass rapid public transport network.

Restoring digni ty and pride to the users of publ ic transport and publ ic space

Public and non motorised transport services and facilities form a crucial component ofshared public space and successful examples from Latin American cities show that highquality public space, services and facilities - which treat people with dignity and improvequality of life - are probably as important as increasing the income of poorer households.

The social, community and neighborhood multiplier effects of public investment in highquality public space and services are as important as the economic multiplier effects ofhigher incomes. In this regard, public sector investment in improving public space andpublic transport, walking and cycling services - in lower income communities in particular

– leads to benefits such as improved quality of life for non drivers, community security,cohesion and accessibility.





PART B: A REVISED STRATEGY FOR 2007 – 2014

8. Where do we want to be in 2014

Looking ahead to 2014 we need to be in a position where the f ull implementation of thisstrategy would result in a broad range of transport improvements, including the followingkey achievements:

• Increased overall capacity of municipalities in planning, regulating and managing

locally-driven mass rapid public transport networks;• A network across a city/district that prioritises quality public transport and non

motorised transport, and a quality public space system – that is planned,regulated and managed by a municipality or its agents, in line with the nationalvision;

• Phased but effective implementation of an integrated mass rapid public transportsystem;

• Successful efforts to overcome the backlogs in investment;

• Private car use demand management penalties and incentives;• Use of electronic fare collection and information tools to plan and manage the

public transport network in a demand responsive manner;

• Effective integration of transport planning and land use management;

• Significantly increased safe and secure walking and cycling infrastructure andhigh quality public space facilities;

• Enhanced personal safety and security - especially for women, children and theelderly; and,

• Effect regulation and enforcement capacity and tools in pIace.





9. Vision

The DoT’s 2007 – 2014 Public Transport Strategy is firmly based on the White Paperon National Transport Policy and the Moving South Africa Action Agenda and it calls forthe need to redeem the promises made in the 1996 White Paper, 1998/9 Moving SAStrategy and 2000 National Land Transport Transition Act.

The various policy and strategic visions are all quoted below in order to highlight theirapplicability for the next decade of implementation in 2007 - 2014

The vision of the White Paper for South African transport is a system which will “ providesafe, reliable, effective, efficient, and fully integrated transport operations andinfrastructure which will best meet the needs of passenger customers at improvinglevels of service and cost in a fashion which support government strategies foreconomic and social development whilst being environmentally and economicallysustainable”

The mission of the DoT in respect of land passenger transport is to provide leadership in: “the promotion of a safe, reliable, effective, efficient, coordinated, integrated, andenvironmentally friendly land passenger transport system in South African urban andrural areas, and the southern African region, managed in an accountable manner toensure that people experience improving levels of mobility and accessibility ”

The Moving South Africa (MSA) Urban Passenger Transport Vision for 2020… “ by 2020,urban customers will be able to participate fully in the various activities of city life byusing a public transport network that provides as much city-wide coverage as possibleand which is affordable, safe, secure, fast and frequent. The core of the public transportsystem will be a network of high volume, high frequency corridors in which publictransport will be the priority. Customers’ needs for improved access and short trip timeswill be met by having regular feeder services to the high volume corridors, user-friendlytransfer facilities, short wait times due to high corridor frequencies and the possibility of

differentiated services for customers with specific needs …”The MSA Rural Passenger Transport Vision for 2020… “ by 2020 transport infrastructureand services in rural areas will provide the basic means of access and mobility tosupport the integration of sustainable rural communities into the social and economic lifeof South Africa. Through transport, rural South Africans will be enabled to affordably andconveniently access markets, employment, economic activity, health care, welfareservices, communication systems, retail services, and social activity…”





The above visions for land passenger transport are still relevant in 2006. The MSAStrategy aimed to unpack the vision through the five dimensions of strategic actionsbelow. These are in the main still appropriate and should guide the acceleration ofimplementation in the period 2007 - 2014.

Urban Transport Strategic Actions: Five Dimensions

The strategy comprises five key dimensions

Land UseLand Use

Create greater densities around transportcorridors through

Pricing measures and incentives toencourage development in corridorsControls over development (e.g. zoning)Provision of transport infrastructure thatsupports densificationEffective institutions that are appropriatelyco-ordinated between different spheresand departments within government

Create greater densities around transportcorridors through

Pricing measures and incentives toencourage development in corridorsControls over development (e.g. zoning)Provision of transport infrastructure thatsupports densificationEffective institutions that are appropriatelyco-ordinated between different spheresand departments within government

InvestmentInvestment

Road-basedImplement dedicated infrastructure incongested road based corridorsImprove public transport infrastructure

Rail-basedFocus investment on existing infrastructure onhigh density volume / ridership corridorsConsider closures where road-based modesmore appropriateInvest in infrastructure to encourageintegration of road with rail

Non-motorizedImprove access to stations, bus terminals andtaxi ranks

Road-basedImplement dedicated infrastructure incongested road based corridorsImprove public transport infrastructure

Rail-basedFocus investment on existing infrastructure onhigh density volume / ridership corridorsConsider closures where road-based modesmore appropriateInvest in infrastructure to encourageintegration of road with rail

Non-motorizedImprove access to stations, bus terminals andtaxi ranks

SubsidiesSubsidies

Provider based subsidies combined with theprovision of appropriate infrastructure to:

Provide basic access for stranded andsurvivalSustain and encourage use of the optimalmode on line haulIncentivise modal integration focussing onfeeders and distributors

Provider based subsidies combined with theprovision of appropriate infrastructure to:

Provide basic access for stranded andsurvivalSustain and encourage use of the optimalmode on line haulIncentivise modal integration focussing onfeeders and distributors

Public Transport Planning and RegulationPublic Transport Planning and Regulation

Regulate modes in a c onsistent manner Formalize taxi industry through incentivesand enforcement in order to ensure allproviders appropriately regulated

Promote integration of modes through regulatedcompetition

Facilitate differentiated services to meet higherlevel customer needsPlan city-wide basic network providing higherlevel of basic public transport services

Integrated network of services based onappropriate modesCorridors and routes inter-linked to promoteaccessibility

Regulate modes in a consistent manner Formalize taxi industry through incentivesand enforcement in order to ensure allproviders appropriately regulated

Promote integration of modes through regulatedcompetition

Facilitate differentiated services to meet higherlevel customer needsPlan city-wide basic network providing higherlevel of basic public transport services

Integrated network of services based onappropriate modesCorridors and routes inter-linked to promoteaccessibility

Road Space ManagementRoad Space Management

Manage road space more aggressivelythrough a combination of measures to managecar use (not ownership) specifically in the peakin major urban congested corridors

Provision of acceptable alternatives to theprivate car Pricing (e.g. parking charges, and license,later electronic road pricing)Controls, which give priority to moreefficient users of road space

Manage road space more aggressivelythrough a combination of measures to managecar use (not ownership) specifically in the peakin major urban congested corridors

Provision of acceptable alternatives to theprivate car

Pricing (e.g. parking charges, and license,later electronic road pricing)Controls, which give priority to moreefficient users of road space





10. Strategic Building Blocks

To overhaul the land passenger transport sector, the strategy proposes that thetransport sector in Government needs to fast track these 8 strategic building blocks:

• Strong local planning, regulation and management of public transport networks;

• Devolved funding that is targeted in terms of the strategy/plan;

• Rapid and innovative action plans and projects based on local Integrated TransportPlans (ITPs) that optimise network efficiencies across all modes from walking tobus/rail/taxi to private car;

• Strong local enforcement capacity to deal with safety and security issues in thepublic transport system;

•

Fast track national initiatives to stabilise modal sectors (Taxi Recap, Commuter railrestructuring, Bus subsidy transformation). These initiatives should be aligned tolocal plans that consciously promote modal upgrading or Mass Rapid PublicTransport Network Restructuring;

• Manage and control private car use and land use to ensure viable and efficienttransport;

• Expand transport access to rural and urban poor through expanding the availabilityof affordable services. This will involve expanded subsidy that is implemented in linewith high quality local plans; and

• Additional funding to be allocated to implement the vision through high qualitynetwork plans that begin to transform operator-based modal commuter, peak-periodservices, into user-oriented networks that promote 16-24 hour a day, 7-day-a-weekmobility to a variety of destinations and activities for all citizens.





11. Act ion Agenda

To assist in translating the vision into an Action Plan the strategy proposes 3 action

agendas:• Accelerated Recovery and Catalytic Projects (2007-2010)• Promote and Deliver Basic Networks (2010-2014)• Advance and Sustain Accessible Networks (2014-2020)

Accelerate Recovery and Catalyt ic Projects Agenda (2007-2010)The strategic thrust of this action agenda is to stabilise the current passenger transportservice delivery environment as well as to recover from the accumulated neglect ofdecades of under-investment in infrastructure and operations. It is an agenda for actionfor the short term and includes an Accelerated Recovery Plan to enhance the

institutional building blocks and to fast track service improvements to end users.

The DoT and the transport sector has been working on aspects of this agenda since1996. However, the present public transport system continues to fail its customers andthe nation. Without radical action, the public transport system performance will worsen.Urgent and systematic implementation is required (especially for achieving the criticalpublic sector building blocks) in order to accelerate the current modal stabilisationinitiatives.

The Accelerated Recovery Plan needs to be developed in detail by end 2006. It shouldthen be fast tracked in order to achieve physical implementation as soon as possible.

The critical components of the Plan are to ensure:• Investment in building local transport capacity for planning, monitoring, regulationand network management;

• Enhanced capacity for Operating Licence processing and alignment with transportplanning;

• Enhanced enforcement, inspection, investigation and prosecution capacity andcampaigns across all road-based modes (detailed action plan tied to the R2.2bnallocated for minibus recapitalisation regulation and enforcement);

• Capacity deployed to support municipalities to develop strategic integrated networkplans, related 2010 operational plans, high quality public transport corridor plans,Travel Demand Management plans, and electronic fare collection plans;

• Local engagement with key stakeholders on the passenger transport vision andstrategy and Phase 1 implementation projects- including incentives and guaranteesto existing minibus/small bus operators and divers;

• Accelerated initial rollout of fleet upgrading on all modes - Taxi, Bus, Rail recap andrefurbishment;





• Detailed design and commencement of Phase 1 implementation of road-basedintegrated mass rapid public transport corridors. 3 Includes non-motorised network,facilities and service rollout (including small cities and rural districts);

• Planning completed for implementation of High Occupancy car lanes and ride-sharing promotion;

•

Pilot electronic fare collection and information system that is controlled by publicsector in partnership with operators; and • Completion of network design that includes all current subsidised bus services in an

area and commence initial implementation of gross cost contracts 4 with public controlover fare income - in both metropolitan and district contexts.

A Stabilise and Recover Plan is the second component of the Accelerated Recovery Agenda and runs over the next 3 - 5 years. The key objective is to ensure theachievement of an effective public transport implementation platform. The keycomponents of the plan are to:• Devolve funding to capable municipalities;• Refine quality local Integrated Transport Plans that demonstrates improved service

delivery on immediate priorities and which include priority integrated mass rapidpublic transport network projects;

• Develop Public Transport Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) tools and phase thesein, in order to support planning, regulation and enforcement (e.g Electronic FareCollection, vehicle tracking and control, etc.);

• Taxi, Bus, Rail recapitalisation and refurbishment continue;• Phased implementation of revised gross cost contracts for subsidised services, in

line with network vision;• Improved service information, maps, timetables, marketing;• Non motorised and public space network planning and phased implementation;• Aggressive roll out of the Shova Kalula initiative: 1 million bicycles in partnership with

Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and Community Based Organisations(CBOs) by 2010;

• Roll out rural public transport interventions, including piloting of subsidisation options;• Engage with the Department of Education, provinces and municipalities to ensure

maximum accessibility of learners through the public transport network;•

Implement improved safety and security inspection, enforcement and prosecution onall public transport modes;

3. Mass Public Transport Corridor Programmes – Mode specific reform packages, service enhacements, modal interchangeupgrades, newer/refurbished PT vehicles dedicated, segregated median lanes with enclosed, clean and secure stations andstops, real-time information –passenger and operators, preboard payment and free transfers, high frequency service and lowwaiting times at stations/stops, modal integration, priority traffic signals -intersections, pedestrian and bicycle access and facilitiesand low- cost accessible and class 1-type features, etc. 4 . Gross cost contracting means that the public sector plans and manages the network and the fare revenue –not the operators.





• Enforce safer cycling and walking routes, particularly around schools, and throughmore human-friendly infrastructure design;

• Manage car use in the peak period in major urban congested corridors;• Engage with Department of Provincial and Local Government, Department of

Housing, Department of Land Affairs and Provinces and Municipalities to:o improve interdepartmental coordination with regard to housing, land useand transport integration;o fast track the identification of priority local transport corridors and the

related location of medium density land use in support of these; • Promote land use planning aligned to public transport network, non motorised

transport and travel demand management planning;• Promote low-cost accessible and class 1 type features - painting designated areas

with high contrast colours, providing sufficient grab rails and push bells at certainaccessible points, use of visible sign language, etc. - and improve operationalservice for special needs users; and

• Pilot full accessibility for users with special needs in all newly implemented mass

rapid public transport corridors.

Promote & Deliver Basic Networks Agenda (2010-2014)The strategic thrust of this action agenda is to incrementally enhance and expand thepassenger transport system. It is an agenda for action for the medium term. The maincomponents of the plan are to:• Fully upgrade key integrated mass rapid public transport corridors – in all six

metropolitan cities as well as in other cities and districts. To cover at least the top 20mass corridors (rail/road) in the country;

• Finalise network planning and roll out revised gross cost contracts which includesmall bus and taxi operators;

• Roll out Passenger Transport Intelligent Transport Systems nationally;• Implement Travel Demand Management and car use reduction measures in all

metropolitan areas – including roadspace reallocation measures to prioritise publictransport;

• Consolidate operators into capable entities that are able to provide high qualityservices in the formal, integrated mass rapid public transport networks;

• Implement supportive land use system on public transport corridors;• Mainstream pedestrian and cycling implementation and promotion, including high

quality facilities, infrastructure, public space and bicycle transport support andpromotion;

• Ensure safer and more secure operations through efficient regulatory andenforcement regime;

• Roll out targeted public transport subsidies - user based and/or capital that are linkedin the main to integrated mass rapid public transport systems;

• Increase the scale of roll out of rural/small town public transport services; and• Expand roll out of mass rapid public networks that are fully accessible to users with

special needs.





Advance & Sustain Accessib le Networks Agenda (2014-2020)The strategic thrust of this action agenda is to significantly expand and transform publictransport through large scale or critical mass implementation. It is an agenda for actionfor the long-term. The key components of the plan are to:

• Roll out fully interconnected integrated mass rapid public transport networks;• Ensure that most public transport facilities, vehicles and infrastructure are of a high

quality;• Improve maintenance of public transport infrastructure and facilities;• Promote high quality public space and non motorised linkages and networks;• Implement aggressive car use restriction measures aimed at promoting switching to

public transport and non motorised transport – including pricing measures;• Promote and coordinate employer-based car trip reduction programmes, park and

ride facilities, ride sharing, public sector employee ridesharing, etc.;• Implement land use measures thatsupport public transport corridor networks;• Ensure ongoing investment in innovative local passenger transport public sector

capabilities to plan, manage, promote, regulate, enforce, and monitor contracts, etc.• Promote free minimum basic mobility for all citizens regardless of ability to pay – a

lifeline mobility allowance;• Expand rural passenger transport services and combined rural passenger and freight

transport services; and• Expand universally accessible vehicles and infrastructure for users with special

needs.

Delivering on the Action Agenda

In facilitating the above three action agendas, the DoT to developing an ImplementationPlan by end 2006. To this effect the DoT will embark on a research programme todevelop detailed actions in the following initial focus areas:

• Implementation plan to determine regulatory and resource needs to allow fordevolution to local level

• Implementation plan to achieve integrated mass rapid public transport corridor-based networks at city-wide scale

• Subsidy profiling and options – a Public Transport Subsidy Action Plan based onaccurate data

• Travel Demand Management Implementation Strategy to set clear actions thatwill be required from Metros, Provinces and Infrastructure Authorities in particular

• Feasibility of a nationwide electronic fare collection and information system forpublic transport

• Strategic assessment of current plans and projects at the local level in order todevelop a fast track approach to implementation at sufficient scale





Before the end of 2007 additional strategies should be developed in the following areas:

• Implementation strategy to achieve Public transport-supportive land use

measures• Implementation plan to promote Rural Passenger Transport• Implementation plan to promote public transport accessibility to Special Needs

users• Continuous monitoring and auditing of the existing user-reality of passenger

transport service provision (e.g. facilities at stops, terminals, pedestrian space,user information, etc.) and suggest a short term upgrade strategy that can beimplemented within 2 years

• Investment strategy to promote sustainable funding in the passenger transportsector.

In refining the implementation strategy over time, the DoT needs to constantly promotehigh quality implementation of the Vision and Action Agenda. In this regard the currentand future set of Integrated Transport Plans, etc. will need to be evaluated in terms ofwhether their proposals are:

• Of the right scale? Linked to a city-wide integrated mass rapid public transportnetwork vision that deprioritises car use?

• Able to serve as a structuring element for more denser land uses?

• Sustainable in choosing optimal modal solutions and technologies as opposed tooverly capital intensive systems, etc?

• Attentive to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists and about the need to link thesenetworks to public transport networks?

• Able to incentivise mini-bus taxi operators and drivers to form part of the plannednetwork?

• Able to maximise use of existing resources and infrastructure through space re-allocation and re-prioritisation?

• Able to implement solutions within a 4 year horizon? Able to focus on quick solutions

to improve the image and quality of services such as improved user information,network maps, improved safety and security, improved people-friendly facilities, etc?





PART C: TAKING ACTION

12. 2014 Land Passenger Transpor t Scenarios

As a way of illustrating the potential impact of strategic choices we make now, threescenarios to 2014 painting “possible passenger transport futures” are described in orderto stimulate reflection on the implicit and unintended consequences of currentimplementation trends. The ability to overcome the lack of the basic planning andregulatory building blocks at the local level as well as the ability to fast track the planningand implementation of strategic mass public transport networks will determine which ofthe following three scenarios (or a mixture of them) are likely to materialise over the nextdecade. The scenarios are:

“Business as usual” (Band-aid implementation) “Accelerated but modest” (Focus on the basics) “Strategic shift” (Publicly run Networks for ALL)

2014 Land Passenger Scenario – Business as usual “ Band-aid” implementation for the top 30% while the rest stagnate

• Snail paced modal stabilisation continues till 2010. (for example Taxi Recapfrom 1999 to 2006, Tendered bus contracts from 1998 to 2006, Passengerrail reinvestment from 2001 to 2006)

• Regulation, management & enforcement still weak/ ineffective

• Current poor safety record on Public Transport continues• Road-building pressures in the Metros increase

• Continued car-oriented land use which excludes the majority – no densePublic Transport corridors

• 2010 World Cup will run in the main like Cricket and Rugby World Cups andWSSD – big parking lots for car users with limited new PT services,increased road capacity for cars and limited NMT facilities

• Very little/no quality NMT facilities, poor NMT safety

• Car using richest 30% of passengers are only ones catered for in terms ofbasic access & mobility

PT and NMT astill third clas

options!Car users in

suburbs push fand get road

supply solution Ad hoc and

stumblingprogress on fle

recap but noability to

implement corof u pgraded P

services that arNetwork-base

and not operatobased





2014 Land Passenger Scenario - “ Accelerated but modest”

Focus on rolling out basics. Partial improvements in some services • Some progress on fleet recapitalisation across all modes – only 50% of fleet

• Partial success with metropolitan regulatory and management capabilities –some progress on Strategic PT Networks

• Road Traffic Management Corporation in a modest PT enforcementprogramme

• Routes still operator-driven especially for minibus operators but someredesign with regard to subsidised contract routes - aimed at rationalisationthough and not universal network coverage

• Promotion of key flagship corridor projects – though scale is not enough toalter the passenger transport and land use dynamics across the cities

PT and NMTare second

class options!Basic TDM

measures forride sharing in

some areas.50% of all

modesrecapitalised.Some corridoprojects but no

publiclycontrolled cor

network!

Gautrain atunder 40 000pax. trips per

day & newwidened metrotolled freeway

• Partial promotion of limited pedestrian and cycle networks in some areas –depends on local champions

• 2010 World Cup sees some use of TDM measures such as HOV lanes, atemporary PT dedicated-lane system, visible enforcement andschool holiday timing

2014 Land Passenger Scenario “ Strategic shift”Roll out of publicly cont rolled Networks for ALL

• Most of fleet across all modes is replaced• Strong public regulation, management and network control• Strategic PT Network is substantially implemented and comprises major

movement corridors with BRT-type systems, upgraded commuter rail lines,good NMT and public space facilities and nationwide integratedelectronic fare system

• Aggressive TDM measures including road space reallocation and a scaled upsystem of park ‘n rides, HOV lanes, PT lanes and initial peak-hour roadpricing pilots

• A system of PT lanes/HOV lanes on freeways and arterials in JHB, Tshwane,CT and eThekwini – SANRAL and Metros jointly promoting non-car basedoptions through marketing campaigns

• 2010 World Cup is moved through PT and NMT system – using upgraded PTnetworks as well as additional World Cup PT operations. Substantialtaxi operator involvement in 2010

• Medium density land use is channeled into PT corridors• Substantial investment in rollout of periodic PT services in rural areas and

small towns

PT and NMTare priorityoptions inpractice!

TDM measureson most

freeways andarterials.95% of all

modesrecapitalised.

PubliclycontrolledSPTNs in

metros which

link toGautrain &improves its

viabilityRoad

expansion fo rPT/TDM/NMT

not cars





In order to get the DoT-led passenger transport sector to move towards the partialrealisation of the “Strategic shift” scenario by 2014 - or at least to solidly achieve theoutputs of the “Accelerated but modest” scenario, the strategy would have to be activelychampioned and aggressively implemented across all three spheres of Government.

13. Metropolitan cities as an initi al prior ity focus areaSouth African public transport users have not seen tangible improvements in services inthe ten years since the White Paper on National Transport Policy was adopted. There isa need for a set of high quality, catalytic, large scale, Phase 1 projects that implement

ALL aspects of the vision in an integrated fashion in a localised project context. In thisregard, strategic projects in the metropolitan cities can serve as a visible example ofeffective delivery as well as a practical showcase for other cities.

Why a Metropolitan City Catalytic Showcase Programme? According to the NHTS, the 6 metropolitan areas of SA account for 15.44 million people

(66% of whom are African) and 10.4% of these have a post matric qualification. 12.4million metropolitan people made a weekday trip and 4.65 million made a trip to work.45% of metro trip makers used some form of public transport in the past week comparedto 25% who used a car. 49% of metro workers use public transport to work compared to41% who use a car.

Metro areas account for 4 million of SA’s 8 million formal sector jobs and 1 million ofSA’s 3 million informal sector jobs. In total metro areas account for 5 million of SA’s 11million jobs. 2.3 million of the 4 million public transport trips to work in SA, take place inmetro areas.

Of the 4.5 million metropolitan students, 750 000 use a car to get to school and 700 000use a taxi. 800 000 metro learners take longer than 45 minutes to get to school.

53% of metro household do not perceive that they can access a train and 24% cannotaccess a bus. 30% of metropolitan households spend more than R200 per month onpublic transport. In terms of the costs of worker transport, 45% of the 2.3 millionmetropolitan workers who use public transport to work, spend more than R200 permonth. Of this 45%, 500 000 workers spend more than R300 a month on publictransport to work. 24% of metropolitan public transport commuters spend more than20% of their income on public transport to work.

30% of metropolitan households perceive taxi safety to be a problem and 19% perceivea bus service to be not available or too far.

75% of metro train users are unhappy with the level of crowding on trains, 65% of metrobus users are unhappy about facilities at stops and 78% of metropolitan taxi users areunhappy with safety from accidents.

Elements of a Catalytic Showcase Programme





Therefore, there is a need for a fast track implementation programme that targets thedevelopment of high quality, integrated, mass rapid public transport networks in the sixmetropolitan cities. This could involve large scale Phase 1 projects that upgrade 2intersecting high volume corridors for a combined length of between 30-60km.

International road-based examples of high quality corridors range in cost from R10 to30m per km. The National Passenger Rail Plan priority corridors should also be linked tothis programme. Therefore, a Phase 1 programme in all six metros could target up to atotal of R5bn in investment (combined for all 6 metropolitan cities) over a 5 year period.This would be sufficient to implement high quality, Phase 1 corridor systems within 5years. It is proposed that this approach the allocation of the remaining funds in the 2010Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Fund.

Some of the elements of these catalytic projects would include:

• Investment in public transport priority infrastructure (high speed busway corridors

and upgraded rail corridors with high quality stops and stations), that link to forman integrated network that is well located,

• Investment in priority rail corridors that are integrated with the road-basednetwork,

• Demand control measures in place over private cars, especially in peak hours -according to the NHTS, of the 1.5 million drivers who drive a car to work in metroareas, nearly 50% say they do not actually need to use their car while at work,

• Investment in high-volume, high frequency public transport corridor-basedservices and operations - that operate 7 days a week and 16-24 hours a day inthe metropolitan areas,

• Strict control over metropolitan land use to ensure support for sustainable publictransport corridor operations,

• Upgraded regulation and enforcement of public transport safety and security andoperating licences.

The above interventions will serve to create more efficient cities and in so doing, reducedirect and external costs associated with private car use and congestion and thus savingon fuel, roadspace, parking space, and accident and time costs. Moving to 16-24 hourquality public transport operations will enable extra mobility for millions and will allowemployers to move to increasing shift operations beyond the 8am to 5pm period, thus

increasing competitiveness.

Conclusion

From the above, it is clear the metropolitan sustainable transport networks with publictransport priority at its core, are key to unlocking urban efficiencies and economic growththat is equitable.





This strategy commits the DoT to championing a fast track process of facilitating theimplementation of Phase 1 high quality, integrated mass rapid public transport networksin each of the 6 metropolitan cities in the period 2007 – 2014.

14. Implementing the Public Transpor t st rategyDelivering these improvements proposed in the Public Transport Strategy requires anew approach. The success of the Public Transport Strategy will require allstakeholders - ranging from government to users and transport operators - to worktogether towards achieving a shared vision.

Quality PartnershipsWithin government, better coordination and closer working relationships should beforged among national, provincial and local government. The Minister of Transport andhis provincial and municipal colleagues will aggressively champion the delivery of theproposed improvement measures for the land passenger transport sector. The Ministerof Transport will request Provincial and Municipal colleagues to translate the strategyinto Action Plans that set out how they will contribute to the implementation of thePublic Transport Strategy over the next decade of change.

Stronger partnerships with existing transport operators and employees are critical. Thispartnership is central to the new approach of this strategy. Turning the proposals in thisstrategy into reality will depend on the willingness of transport operators to buy in intothe strategy and to commit and invest alongside Government.

Transport drivers are often the first, and last person, you meet when using publictransport. The transport drivers and the operators who employ them, are key people inthe success of the public transport system and will play the most important role inachieving a successful outcome.

FundingIn order to deliver on the action agenda’s outlined above, a significant increase infunding is required. The DoT will need to make a strong evidence-based case forsustained Government funding in time for the 2008/9 MTEF cycle.

More needs to be done to package the vision and strategy clearly and to ensure that

municipal integrated transport plans are aligned and translate into strategic projects thatcan attract Treasury support.

In addition, the transport sector in Government has been slow to implement the planningand regulatory building blocks that will ensure the effective use of expanded funding andinvestment. These include institutional devolution to the local sphere, effectiveregulation, and network redesign. A clear implementation plan to achieve these buildingblocks will be developed by the end of 2006 and will be used to motivate for additional





funding that can be more effectively deployed than past spending.

Public sector transport spending (04/05) in context of other key budget figures

In the context of a gross domestic product of R1,5 trillion, and national budget revenuein order of R370 billion, current spending on passenger transport – in the region of R16billion per annum (R10,6 billion on roads and R5,6 billion on public transport subsidies)

– might be described as less than adequate. Financial resources should therefore not bea limiting factor in passenger transport improvement.

Hence, the commitment to ensuring all the service delivery building blocks are in placein order to ensure the effectiveness of increased investment.

While careful estimates of required passenger transport expenditure are still to be madeand will depend on the costing of municipal transport plans and networks, it would seemthat an additional recurrent R5 billion expenditure per annum is required in order toarrest current decline in service levels and to fully implement high quality, integratedmass rapid public transport systems across the country in the next 10 –15 years.

This estimate will be interrogated and fully detailed in the upcoming set of studies andimplementation plans that all three spheres of Government in the transport sector willneed to complete, in terms of the requirements of this strategy.

Monitoring and reviewTo ensure that progress is being made on the Public Transport Strategy, theDepartment will monitor delivery as part of the implementation process and will ensurethat progress reports are a regular agenda item of the inter-sphere Governmenttransport structures.





15. ConclusionThis document aimed to review the past decade of implementation experience and toestablish a framework for thinking about the next decade. Its aim was to focus on keybuilding blocks and key strategic areas and not to cover every aspect of land passengertransport in detail.

The vision that has been articulated comprises a strong municipal controlled mass rapidpublic transport network that utilises the strengths of the public and private sectorsappropriately. This network should ultimately comprise the priority rail and road-basedmobility system for a local area. It is an integrated system where modes are deployed inaccordance with their optimal role and is based on public control over fare income,operator contracts based on contracted kilometers, and median lane rapid transitcorridors with pre-board fare payment, that link to rail, feeder, non-motorised and publicspace systems.

The DoT firmly recommends that this substantive vision – in line with the positiveexperiences of Latin American and East Asian cities – is one of the few solutions thataddresses both current public transport users as well as current car users. As such itovercomes the dualistic nature of land passenger transport in South Africa and providesa bridge to create sustainable and equitable mass transport networks for ALL.

The DoT intends to refine this strategy based on public comment as well as based onthe currently commissioned research into detailed aspects of this vision. It is envisagedthat by the end of 2006, this strategy will be ready for formal adoption by Cabinet andthe DoT will be committed to aligning itself and the entire transport sector behind the keyvision and concepts.

Draft Strategy to Accelerate Public Transport Implementation 2007-2014

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