The City of Cape Town’s revised Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) outlines our strategies and actions over the next five years in pursing an integrated transport system where commuters spend less time and money on travelling between their homes, work and other destinations. The crippling passenger rail system is, however, frustrating our efforts to establish a new spatial form based on inclusive and integrated communities.
The CITP provides an extensive overview of the state of transport and transport-related infrastructure in Cape Town, including the road network; public transport facilities and public transport services – from rail to the MyCiTi service, contracted bus services and minibus-taxis; the cost of transport for commuters across all income groups; congestion; and transport-related policies.
Over the past few months the City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) has revised the CITP – updating the document with the latest available transport data and aligning it with the policies that have been adopted by Council since 2014.
The draft CITP is now available for public comment until 26 September 2017.
‘It elaborates on the City’s progress to date to establish an integrated, intermodal, and interoperable transport system in Cape Town and how we intend to expedite our efforts over the next five years until 2022.
‘The CITP also identifies the key challenges we are facing. It is no surprise that the collapsing passenger rail system is on top of the list. Given the importance of passenger rail in the broader public transport network and Capetonians’ reliance on rail for commuting, the City is forced to look for alternatives. These include seeking assignment of the rail function, and in particular the rail infrastructure, to the City and also investigating alternative solutions such as light rail or other rail typologies to relieve the mounting pressure on our congested road network,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.
World-class cities have intermodal transport systems to ensure the efficient movement of people and goods.
‘Mobility has a direct impact on a city’s productivity and economic growth. This is why the TDA is pursuing an intermodal transport system where commuters can seamlessly transfer from one mode – be it rail, bus rapid transit (red roads), minibus-taxi, or conventional bus services – to another. Interoperable means commuters can use an integrated payment method, such as the myconnect card which is currently used on the MyCiTi service, to pay for travelling by train, minibus-taxi, or other buses.
‘A fully integrated transport system has a synchronised and integrated timetable applicable to all modes of public transport; integrated route maps; and an integrated ticketing system. The commuter is at the centre of this system where every minute detail is focused on making traveling shorter, more efficient, less time-consuming and easier with as few transfers as possible.
‘Most importantly, an efficient integrated transport system makes commuting cheaper – this is of utmost importance in Cape Town where the lower-income households spend up to 43% of their monthly income on transport. Obviously, the more efficient the transport system, the lower the costs of operating a public transport service – which is to the benefit of the City, our ratepayers and all who live and work here,’ said Councillor Herron.
The revised CITP is aligned with the City’s strategy to use public transport to achieve a more compact and sustainable city and identifies major public transport corridors – be it road or rail – as pivotal catalysts in transforming Cape Town’s spatial reality.
‘During the past two years we have put in place the policies needed to pursue and implement transit-oriented development (TOD) along all public transport corridors. TOD is the new order of business – it means going forward we will pursue changes in land-use and higher densities in support of the transport system. Also, affordable housing must be located on land close to centres of employment and public transport. Thus, ultimately, the right development must happen in the right places with a mix of land-uses and densification to stimulate economic activity along the transport corridors,’ said Councillor Herron.
Passenger rail is the backbone of Cape Town’s public transport system; it is also key to the City’s TOD strategic framework which is being implemented to transform Cape Town’s spatial form.
‘It is impossible to establish an integrated, intermodal and interoperable transport system in Cape Town without a fully functional and efficient passenger rail service. All of us have first-hand experience of the dire consequences of the steep decline in the current passenger rail system. The long delays, service interruptions and general unreliability have displaced hundreds of thousands of commuters to road-based public transport and private vehicles.
‘The latest data indicates that there were 2,7 million fewer rail journeys in Cape Town per month in 2016/17 when compared with 2015/16. In fact, the number of passengers boarding the trains on a daily basis has declined by 43% from 2013 to 2017.
‘The Western Cape Metrorail service requires 88 full sets to operate, but the average availability of train sets has reduced from 82 sets in January 2016 to 72 sets in January 2017. Up to 27% of train journeys were running behind schedule as a direct result, leaving commuters frustrated and angry.
‘Passenger rail has been in a state of crisis for nearly a decade now due to a lack of investment and maintenance, vandalism and arson. We are eager to support and assist Metrorail in improving operations and safety. I personally engaged with the Metrorail CEO as far back as 2012 when we proposed a law enforcement joint venture to assist Metrorail with crime and vandalism on the rail system. This would involve expanding our Transport Enforcement Unit and dedicating resources to the rail system. The offer still stands, but to date Metrorail has not formally committed to the proposed assistance or cooperation agreement.
‘Point is, the City cannot sit back and wait for the National Government to act. We are working on solutions, including an investigation into the feasibility of light rail. We will keep the public informed on our progress and will make an announcement as soon as we have more information available,’ said Councillor Herron.
The public can access the revised CITP at the City’s libraries, or online on the City’s website here. The closing date for public comment is 26 September 2017.
‘Last year Council adopted the City’s new Organisational Development and Transformation Plan which reoriented the administration to be more customer-centric. The CITP has been adapted to mirror the focus on area-based service delivery and spatial transformation which must assist us in alleviating poverty and inequality. I encourage residents to please read the document and let us know their thoughts,’ said Councillor Herron.