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Briefing on Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) Project

implementation in South African cities: Phase 1 –

Progress Update

Portfolio Committee on Transport

15 September 2009

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Outline of Presentation

1. Update: National Joint Working Group processes

2. Update: Status of Planning and Implementation in the 12 cities

3. Next Steps

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National Joint Working Group

• Very good and considerable progress has been made in discussing and agreeing on the mandate of the National Joint Working Group (NJWG) and the roles for all stakeholders

• A number of meetings have been held with the taxi industry and the civil society formations separately and jointly

• Currently the priority is the finalisation of the Memorandum of Agreement so that the process of engagement can begin

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• Johannesburg – Rea Vaya

• Cape Town

• Nelson Mandela Bay

• Tshwane

• Other cities

Status of Planning and Implementation in cities

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Bus Rapid Transit in RSA

• In the short-term Johannesburg, Cape Town and

Tshwane metropolitan municipalities are planning full

BRTs as part of their long-term IRPTN.

• Nelson Mandela Bay is a partial BRT.

• ALL BRTs need to include existing operators and labour (especially the minibus industry) as contracted operators.

• Other cities are commencing Operational

Plans

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Network Planning & Implementation ProcessBRTs include business & infrastructure aspects. The Business Plan deals with inclusion of current operators & workers. It is the main risk for a successful pilot phase

Sequence of Actions

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• 85% of all residents within 1km of a Rapid PT Network by 2020

• Upgraded fleets, facilities, stops & stations

• Extended hours of operation (16 hrs to 24 hrs operations)

• Peak frequencies of 5-10min & off-peak frequencies of 10-30min

• Special needs and wheelchair access

• Safe and secure operations monitored by a Control Centre

• Electronic fare integration when making transfers

• Integrated feeders including walking/cycling and taxi networks

• Integration with metered taxi and long distance services

• A car competitive PT option can enable strict car use management

The Vision and long term strategy

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JohannesburgStatus – Starter service launched on 30 August 09

• Phase1a Starter service launched on 30 August 2009• Official Launch at Westgate Station• Free rides

• Why Starter Service: The city felt that BRT was such a new and complex project that starting SMALL and PILOTING certain aspects has a lot of advantages:• It allowed them to test the systems, stations and buses, and • Iron out mistakes

• How is the Starter service run: It is currently being run with:• A Special Purpose Vehicle or temporary company set up by

the HSBC Bank who is arranging the funding for the buses• Drivers and other workers recruited from Phase 1A affected

operators were tested and received training

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Details of the starter service

• Only Trunk Route in Soweto (Lakeview Station to Ellis Park Station)

• Inner City complementary (Braamfontein loop and Newtown loop)

• 2 shifts only focusing on peaks: 5h00 to 8h30 and 15h00 to 19h30

• Frequency peak: on trunk every 5mins, inner city every 10 – 15mins

• Frequency off peak: trunk 20-30mins, inner city 10-15mins

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What is at each station?

• Three security guards

• Two cleaners

• One Cashier

• One station ambassador

• Two volunteers

• They have been recruited from affected operators as well as through the Pathways Project who have tried to ensure that workers and volunteers are sourced from surrounding communities

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Safety and security• Control room and Joint Control

Centre at JRA with rapid response capabilities

• Disaster management plan in place

• Safety and security strategy agreed by Mayoral Committee

• Detailed operational plans in place by SAPS and JMPD– Will have strong presence at

stations and on buses initially • Private security at stations

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Fares and fare collection• Will start with temporary system:

– Paper tickets– Ticket validating machines at

stations and on buses for complementary routes

– Independent inspectorate• Fares: To be bought at all stations and

180 agents and shops around stations– R8 for a transfer ticket for 2 hours( trunk and inner city loops)– R5 for a Trunk ticket only– R3 for a circle route only

• Will be stickers on windows of shop to indicate tickets are available

• Commuters urged to purchase tickets before arrive at station to avoid queues.

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The overall impression after travelling on Rea Vaya for 3 days during the launch and on 2 subsequent days is as follows:•Customers are happy, including those in wheel-chairs;•Staff are impressed and motivated;•Staff were initially intimidated by the “shootings” but have settled down;•There is some frustration about boarding queues but these can be alleviated by frequency improvements;•Improvements can be effected as management competence grows

Johannesburg – Implementation Progress of Phase 1a Starter Service

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Johannesburg – Implementation Progress of Phase 1a Starter Service

• Good aspects • Clean, quiet, smooth-riding buses;• Well motivated & enthusiastic drivers & attendants all

drawn from the taxi industry;• Immaculate, visible and aesthetically pleasing

stations which are secure, accessible and well ventilated;

• Positive reaction from customers including disabled persons, pregnant women, elderly and children (interviews with passengers); and

• Rea Vaya brand image & many others

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Rea Vaya facts and figures

• Passengers per day: 16 000 (8 000 one way) • Revenue per day: R70 000 • Trips per day: 151 • Kilometres per day: 5 100 • Breakdowns (total): 9 of which 5 are due to tyres• Busiest stations in: Thokoza Park with 1 900 pax

per day (24%) then Diepkloof & Lake View • Busiest stations out : Art Gallery: 1300 pass pd

(16%) then Carlton and Library Gardens • 3rd Party accidents (total): 4 (all minor) + 

Numerous scratches

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Cape TownStatus – Implementing Phase 1a for May 2010.

• Original plan for Phase 1a for 2010/11 • 25 stations • 139 feeder stops• 156 vehicles • 115 000 passenger trips a day• 8 taxi associations and 2 bus companies are directly affected

• City of CT requires additional funding to complete the full Phase 1a and is currently discussing this with DoT and National Treasury

• R600m worth of construction tenders have been awarded with another R1bn to be spent in the next 12 months subject to funding negotiations

• Various Service Contracts - Tenders for the control centre equipment & management, fare management system are being evaluated. The station services contract is in preparation ( to address value chain requirements.)

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Cape TownStatus – Implementing Phase 1a

• A Prospectus for vehicle operating company has been completed in preparation for contract negotiations with existing operators (in line with requirements of the NLTA.)

• A dedicated Project Management Unit being established to manage the overall IRT project

• Current funding allocations (timing and quantity) will result in delayed project roll out (i.e. infrastructure, technology and contracted services.)

• Project team reviewing programme to deliver 2010 support services

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Cape Town

Implementing

Phase 1a Phase 1a for 2010 links CBD, Greenpoint, Seapoint, Airport and West Coast from Milnerton to Atlantis

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• Phases 1 & 2:

• 45 km of trunk-feeder bus corridors

• 6km of BRT

• All current taxi & bus operations will be a single network

by 2010

• Network to comprise 5 contract packages aiming to

transport over 400 000 passenger trips a day

Nelson Mandela BayStatus – Partial BRT but aiming to contract a full city-wide network by

2010

2020

Nelson Mandela Bay

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TshwaneStatus – Will be work in progress in 2010 with 2011 as a date for full

operation of Phase 1

• 68km full BRT linking Mabopane to Mamelodi via CBD and Menlyn

• Planning Enhanced Bus Corridors from Atteridgeville to Mamelodi via CBD• Line 1 from Mabopane to CBD:

- 37km of lanes- 17 stations - 58 vehicles- 40 000 passenger trips a day

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Affected Operators

• Public transport modal split in Tshwane:– 49% taxi– 30% bus– 21% rail

• 16 out of 45 taxi associations• North West Star BGT Mabopane Bus Service – interim

contract, NWS owned by NWP• Putco Soshanguve Bus Service – interim contract• Mamelodi Bus Service – Putco - tendered contract• Atteridgeville Bus Service – ABS – tendered contract• Tshwane Bus Service - municipality

TshwaneStatus – Will be work in progress in 2010 with 2011 as a date for full

operation of Phase 1

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Tshwane Status – Liaison with the PT industry

• City of Tshwane is a active member of the National Joint Working Committee

• Meeting with City of Tshwane Taxi Councils held on 9 September 2009 – engagement plan discussed

• Meeting with Bus Operators held on 10 September 2009• Public Transport Summit planned for January 2009• Meeting with Gauteng Commuter Organisation held on

25 July 2009 – regular meetings scheduled • Meeting with Tshwane Education Transport Council held

on 24 August 2009

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• Construct BRT lanes along some 6- 11 kms of road of line 1

• Construct BRT stations at Mabopane station and on DF Malan Drive near its intersection with Boom Street

• Provision of an event specific service and part of the overall 2010 FIFA© World Cup Transport Plan, utilising completed elements of the BRT network

Tshwane Status – BRT 2010 Scope

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• The Tshwane BRT project is progressing well despite various setbacks in the early stages

• A number of crucial tenders have been awarded/are in the final process of awarding which will take the project forward significantly

• The are a number of challenges which will have to be managed in the short and medium term

• Only an event specific service for the World Cup will be provided as part of the overall World Cup Transport Plan for the City of Tshwane

Tshwane Status – Conclusions

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Progress in other cities

• Buffalo City - has completed Draft Operational Plan• Polokwane & Rustenburg – Operational Plans in

progress• Mbombela – IPTN Operational Plan complete – Business

Plan in preparation• Ekurhuleni & Ethekwini – Operational Plans in tender

procurement process• Mangaung & Msunduzi – have Operational Plan tenders

in preparation

• Operational network planning will commence in 2011 in the Rural districts

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Conclusions - observations

1. “Affected” local taxi interests are participating constructively in

municipal BRT / taxi transformation negotiations (CoJ, NMB,

CoCT)

2. A high level of security is needed, as cities implement new

services

3. Credible mass Communication still needed to win the support

of trade unions, users & the public

4. Law Enforcement is essential to protect new infrastructure

and stations - the starting point must be BRT lane

enforcement

5. From the Jo’burg experience surveillance and Control Centre

vigilance must be stepped up

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Conclusion - essential short-term actions needed by Government

• Approval for bus procurement by cities;• Regulations in support of BRT;• Clarification of guarantees given to taxi interests (NJWG);• Support from security and law enforcement agencies; and• Urgent engagement with South African Bus Association

(SABOA)

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Thank You