Gauteng SDI Rail Link - Gautrain

34It is thus concluded that the current public transport services (even if adapted)cannot fulfil the primary role of transporting the larger group of customers toand from the Rail Link stations.Primary public transport feeder/distribution systems should be dedicated,generally of a higher quality than most of the existing public transportservices, and the Rail Link operator must be able to control or significantlyinfluence operational decisions (i.e. frequencies, area coverage, etc.). It isproposed that the dedicated public transport feeder/distribution systemsshould be operated by the Rail Link operator or in an integrated manner byoperators commercially contracted to it.The choice of the modes to be employed for the primary dedicated publictransport feeder/distribution systems should be based on demand percorridor, modal niches and may be a combination of modes.The Rail Link may have to compete directly with high quality taxi type servicesfor the same customer base, e.g. the current 25-seater vehicles being usedbetween Johannesburg and Pretoria and the new "recapitalised" vehicles tobe phased in during the next five years. It is proposed that mechanisms bepursued to bring these operators into an integrated system, to providefeeder/distribution services to stations and not operate in competition.Some of the passengers will find it more convenient and will be prepared touse existing public transport services as feeders/distributors. Attention shouldtherefore be paid to the integration and restructuring of such existing bus andrail transport services to support this project. However, it is proposed that thisbe dealt with more extensively a part of other processes (e.g. railconcessioning, bus contracts and permission strategies).It is proposed that dedicated public transport feeder/distribution servicesprimarily be focused on high-density employment, retail and commercialnodes. A secondary focus may be higher density residential areas, as well assatellite park-and-ride sites in lower density areas. In the lower densityresidential areas many of the potential passengers would use park-and-ridefacilities at the origin station. The feeder/distributor services to these areaswould thus be of lower coverage and intensity.Gauteng SDI Rail Link – Inception Report, 15 June 2000