Gauteng Business 2016 edition

OVERVIEW Transport

OVERVIEW Transport Public transport in Gauteng has undergone a complete makeover in recent times, with the likes of being a prime example of the power of possibilities. The notoriously busy highways of Gautengs have experienced some easing of both congestion and pollution thanks to the roll out of the Gautrain and the BRT. Plans are also afoot to have a single ticketing system that incorporates busses, rail and metered taxis, which would be a game changer for the sector. The harmonious integration of all forms of public transport will offer passenger benefits such as shorter waiting times, reduced travel time, greater flexibility and accessibility. It will also allow passengers to plan their trips accurately thereby making public transport a mode of choice. Gautrain runaway success The high-speed rail system, Gautrain, has graduated beyond ferrying customers to and from the airport, and after two years is averaging 32 000 passengers per day, and to over 50 000 daily currently. The recent increase in the usage of the Gautrain passengers shows that commuters are making a conscious shift from private car use to public transport, and that public transport is safe, reliable, accessible and affordable. The extension of the Gautrain Station platform at the OR Tambo International Airport will, upon completion, enable passengers to embark or disembark from a full four-car train set, which at present is limited to two cars. The extension, as part of the Concession Agreement with the Bombela Concession Company, is being implemented to make provision for future capacity options. Construction work to extend the platform has commenced and the anticipated completion date is mid-2016. An assessment of the economic impact of the Gautrain has been completed and the results are better than what we could have imagined. The results have shown that the Gautrain has created 34,800 direct job opportunities during construction and 922 sustainable jobs after the start of operations. The Gautrain has also re-activated property development in many areas around its stations and thus has contributed to the goals of transit oriented development, better land use and redress apartheid special development planning. Reports estimate that R46- billion in total GDP impact has been added to the provincial economy due to property development induced by the Gautrain, contributing a further 245, 000 jobs. The value of property near Gautrain Stations has also appreciated substantial with GAUTENG BUSINESS 2016 86

OVERVIEW many high-end cooperates competing for space in new office buildings close to the stations. However, due to the regions rapid economic and population growth, integrated solutions need to be implemented in order to ease escalating traffic congestion on Gauteng’s many new and existing highways. The revamping and modernisation of public transport and roads is aimed at creating a coordinated, 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. Transnet upgrades Meanwhile, Transnet is spending R300-billion on upgrading and expanding every aspect of its operations. Many of those improvements will come in Gauteng, where Transnet Rail Engineering (TRE) has a major presence from its workshops in Pretoria and Germiston. The Wits Metrorail system serves Johannesburg and its surrounds. Park Station, in the north of the The new construction at OR Tambo airport. central business district, is the largest station in Africa and acts as the metropolitan hub. Airports OR Tambo International Airport caters for more than 17-million passengers every year, receives more than 105 000 arriving air-traffic movements and employs 18 000 people. Greater Johannesburg has several smaller airports that host mostly commercial aircraft: • Rand Airport in Germiston in the south-east • Grand Central Airport in Midrand, halfway between Johannesburg and Pretoria Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria North • Waterkloof Air Force base, south of Pretoria • Lanseria Airport, to the north-west of Johannesburg The developers of the Cradle City project, Amari Land, expect the number of departing passengers at Lanseria to grow to seven million annually by 2017, and that scheduled flights will increase from 1 100 to almost 4 000. Freight tonnage is expected to reach 20 000 tons by 2017, up from the current total of 5 000 tons. Brakpan and Springs are among several towns that have good airfields. Nigel is home to the Dunnottar Airport and an aeronautical museum. CONTACT INFO Call Centre: 0800 4288 7246 SMS alert line: 32693 Website: www.gautrain.co.za | Twitter: @TheGautrain Facebook: www.facebook.com/gautrain 87 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2016