2010 creates a new legacy for public transport

During October every year we focus our attention on public transport improvements. This year, the Department of Public Transport will pay attention to its readiness for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup.

Public transport in Gauteng is undergoing a complete makeover. Buses, trains and metered taxis will have to adhere to new standards of service while also offering commuters easy transfers through a single ticketing system for all types of public transport.

A new type of bus system for the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria will bring modern, frequent and fast public transport to these heavily congested cities. Used successfully in many cities all over the world, the Bus Rapid Transit systems will be running in a number of key corridors of these two cities by 2010.

Gautrain’s bus feeder network system will complement existing public transport and commuter rail services in transporting passengers to and from stations within a 15km radius. These will be linked to the planned BRT systems enabling commuters to transfer seamlessly between municipal buses in their suburbs and Gautrain’s buses.

The revamping and modernisation of public transport and roads is aimed at creating a co-ordinated, integrated transport system for the entire province. It will also establish Gauteng as a Global City Region that uses international standards of service delivery with seamless mobility between municipalities provided by different modes of transport.

As Gautrain will provide economic mobility in the Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Pretoria metropoles, it is a key infrastructure project in establishing Gauteng as a globally competitive city region.

A global competitive city region is an urban centre that is able to economically compete with 400 other city regions such as New York, Delhi, Lagos and Sao Paulo for foreign investment, trade and the hosting of global events such as the Fifa 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Public Transport Month was launched in 2005.