Transport infrastructure is crucial to propelling spatial transformation, with the potential to develop and integrate desperate towns, cities and human settlements. The province has adopted a 25-year integrated transport master plan, which includes expanding the existing Gautrain Rapid Rail Link, and developing an efficient city region-wide transport network.
In his state of the province address, Premier David Makhura said: “We wish to reiterate that only a massive increase in public transport infrastructure, including a significant expansion of the rail network, will help us drive industrialisation and transformation. More innovative solutions will be required to fund public transport and infrastructure requirements.”
The City of Johannesburg is expanding the existing Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit System to cover more areas of the city, with R2-billion invested in this project.
The eastern corridor will see the rollout of the Bus Rapid Transit System in Ekurhuleni. The first phase is anticipated to be operational by March 2016 — an investment over the next five years of more than R500-million.
Working with national government and Busmark, the western corridor is to be supported by manufacturing coaches to supply the various mass transit bus fleets.