Good morning and welcome to the AirRail Africa Conference (2016).
A special welcome to South Africa to our international guests and the relevant national and local stakeholders.
It is a pleasure welcoming all of you in Gauteng, where hopefully, over the next two days you will be engaged in productive and fruitful discussions of major air-rail issues that are emerging on the African continent.
We are pleased that the Global AirRail Alliance (GARA) has partnered with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, the Gautrain Management Agency and the African Association of Public Transport (UATP) to present the 1st AirRail Conference in Africa. I trust that it will be of value to all of us who are present here today.
This conference forms part of the Gauteng’s focus on public transport issues during October Transport Month, wherein we promote public transport, sustainable mobility and road safety. This year’s theme for public transport month is “The modernisation of the public transport system in Gauteng”.
The concept of modernisation is derived from the provincial government’s multi-pillar programme of radical transformation, modernisation and re-industrialisation of Gauteng.
In the Gauteng city-region, rail modernisation has become an important element of our work. We cannot speak about modernising our public transport system without focusing on the modernisation of our railways, particularly Metrorail, as it is the prime, mass mover of commuters that gives access to social and economic opportunities to almost one million passengers a day.
Metrorail and the Gautrain are seen as the very core of the public transport system in the province. In fact, they constitute the backbone of the public transport system in the Gauteng city-region. We say this as rail helps to restructure urban space, improves city sustainability, and reduces travel distances and time. It further offers affordable public transport and value for money to the user.
In 2013, the Gauteng Provincial Government approved the 25-Year Integrated Transport Master Plan (ITMP25). The ITMP25 provides the overarching planning framework that assists the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, in collaboration with other spheres such as the Gautrain Management Agency and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), to develop and extend the rail network into an integrated and efficient public transport system which serves the transport needs of Gauteng citizens.
Based on the ITMP25, our work over the next few years will focus strongly on the two principal areas.
Firstly, we will direct our energy on the modernization of Metrorail, which entails the manufacturing and acquisition of new rolling stock, the roll-out of a new signalling system and the upgrading and renovation of railway stations along its priority corridor.
Secondly, we will be looking at expanding the Gautrain system for which the feasibility study is complete. Once the political consultation processes are completed, the feasibility study will be made public. We are confident that the modernization of Metrorail and the proposed extension of the Gautrain rapid rail network will result in a significant and decisive shift from private vehicle to public transport use, which in turn will help reduce traffic congestion, enhance efficiency and promote sustainability in the Gauteng city-region as a whole.
Another important aspect that will draw our attention over the next three years is the establishment of Transport Authority for the Gauteng city-region. Presently, the policy decision in this regard has been taken; amendments to the National Land Transport Amendment Bill have been proposed to the Portfolio Committee on Transport in parliament, and a Declaration of Intent supporting the establishment of a Transport Authority has been signed between the Premier of Gauteng and the former Mayors of all municipalities in Gauteng. Henceforth, the finalisation of a provincial policy framework, the legal establishment and the resourcing of the Transport Authority remains an urgent task for the current provincial administration.
At the same time new questions will emerge and will have to be answered. How will the Gautrain Management Agency and PRASA/Metrorail, and possibly the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA), relate to the proposed Transport Authority? How and when will rail functions be better co-ordinated and integrated in our province? Can we imagine a single rail entity being responsible for rail operations in our province? What, if any, is the relationship between freight rail and commuter rail systems in our province? How can we ensure that our rail services are efficient, reliable, clean and safe, punctual and affordable? How can grow our ridership, so that rail truly emerges as the backbone of our public transport system? And how can we make our rail system more accessible to people with disabilities, the aged and the very young?
I trust that these questions will solicit responses from our esteemed guests and rail experts and leave us with answers.
Finally, I am sure that this conference also will address a wider range of pertinent issues such as:
- A review of air-rail projects in Africa;
- High-speed electric trains;
- Public Private Partnerships as a funding model;
- Operations and enhancing customer experience through technology;
- Financing of air-rail projects;
- Socio-Economic Development imperatives for linking airports and city centres;
- Offering first mile-last mile solutions for any air-rail system; and
- May I Managing air-rail brands.
May I conclude with the hope that the First AirRail Conference in Africa turns out to be highly successful and intellectually stimulating endeavour that will guide our work in the future.
Enquiries:
Ismail Vadi
Melitah Madiba
Tel: 011 355 7093
Cell: 060 520 1820
Email: melitah.madiba@gauteng.gov.za
