The Bus Rapid Transit System ‚Rea Vaya‘ serves as backbone of urban development in Johannesburg. It is used by 45,000 commuters per day. The first bus starts at 5 a.m., the last one at midnight. During peak hours there is a bus every three minutes. The new system has reduced usual travel time by half, with a price of one dollar per trip – half of the price of a minibus-taxi.
The metropolitan region of Johannesburg is still shaped by the apartheid system, which had pursued racial segregation also in its urban planning strategies: The 4.5 million inhabitants live far away from each other – huge townships with mainly black population in the south and the settlements of the white in the north. 3.5 millions of Johannesburg’s inhabitants live in Soweto, which comprises 30 townships. Overcrowded minibus-taxis are used by 70 percent of the population. They congest streets that are already packed with cars and trucks – especially during rush hours. Consequences are long journeys and many hours lost in traffic, high greenhouse gas emissions as well as harmful health effects. In 2006 – during preparations for World Cup 2010 in South Africa – a period of transition started that changed urban politics and administration as well as economy and population. Over time, objectives of a green and mobile urban development were increasingly pursued.
In 2014, the city of Johannesburg has once again put emphasis on changing the modal split: Until 2020, 15 percent of daily car trips shall be shifted to public transportation, which currently accounts for 47 percent of trips. Of all public transport trips, 72 percent are made by minibus-taxis, 14 percent by train and only nine percent by bus. By 2020, urban development shall be transformed in a way that makes it possible that 85 percent of the population live within a distance of one kilometre to a public transport stop. More than 800 buses will then cruise the streets of the city, attending to the population’s mobility needs on a route of 330 kilometres. Between 2009 and 2013, greenhouse gas emissions have already been reduced by 380,000 tons, and reduction is supposed to increase to 1.6 million tons by 2020.
In preparation of the World Cup 2010, extensive groundwork was necessary before implementing the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Besides construction works, spatial planning as well as diplomatic preparations had to be made. The modern mobility concept encountered severe concerns and reservations – not only from the business community. Especially taxi operators expressed their protest against the plans. They were afraid of losing their earnings as – according to official calculations – one bus replaces 40 cars or several minibus-taxis. Mutual consent has been achieved in the steering committee through the help of the New York Institute for Transportation & Development Policy as well as the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): 350 minibus-taxis were withdrawn from service and their drivers received training to become bus drivers. The new bus company, PioTrans, is majority-owned by nine taxi companies, which comprise over 300 taxi operators. The contract is valid for twelve years. Routes and stations were planned with participation of citizens. Study visits to other BRT-systems, e.g. in Bogotá, Columbia, were offered to city representatives, taxi operators and the BRT company in order to learn from the experience of other countries.
The first route in 2009 was focused on connecting Soweto to the city centre. In October 2013, the second route with 143 low-emission buses with euro-5-norm was launched. In the course of four years, the daily number of passengers has increased from 35,000 to 43,000. The stations are prevalently constructed as platforms in the middle of the street and are equipped with bike stations, trash bins and seats. Cameras in the buses and at the stations improve security. Priority is given to the buses at crossings; they use individual lanes and are connected to the stations of the modern regional train “Gautrain”. Many municipal employees, bus drivers as well as employees of bus companies were trained and 5,500 new jobs created.
The overall costs summed up to 300 million dollars. In 2015, the third route will be launched, supplying 800,000 inhabitants of the township Alexandra with mobility services.
The new BRT system cuts travel times and reduces harmful environmental as well as health impacts. Inspired by the Rea Vaya project, Johannesburg’s metro bus company also has purchased 150 new environment-friendly buses. New buildings are being constructed along the bus routes, which increases density and helps to overcome the urban design problems caused during Apartheid. The bus corridors that connect black townships with white settlements through Johannesburg’s central bus station are called “corridors of freedom”. Rea Vaya is a first, but important initiative for all of Africa.
http://ens-newswire.com/2013/10/24/...
pictures 1+3:
© Jborzicchi | Dreamstime.com
Published: 23/05/2014
Christine Walters
Mayoral committee member for transport
City of Johannesburg
T +27-(0)11-298-5270
bulelanic(at)joburg.org.za