18 October 2006
Car Free Day is an international campaign that continues to grow, and now
seeing participation by more than 1 300 cities and towns across the world.
In our case, as Gauteng Province, our participation is informed by local
challenges and the developmental needs of our people, covering the whole
spectrum of road users, from pedestrians to commuters and transport operators,
as well as the entire transport industry.
In line with the objectives of Transport Month, as launched earlier this
month, we would like to call for a broad partnership for sustainable mobility
on Gauteng roads.
Traffic congestion is a major challenge for the efficient mobility of
people, goods and services, in our province, to the extent that it chokes
economic activity. At the same time, we are pleased at the growth of the motor
manufacturing industry as we believe that its ripple effect has contributed to
the creation of jobs and the reduction of unemployment, in our province, and
our country.
In the same vein, the number of vehicles on our roads has increased rapidly,
further heightening the need for better and smarter ways of using our road
space. In our province alone, we currently have more than 2,6 million
registered vehicles competing for road space. Even as we engage in
comprehensive road network development and planning, it becomes apparent that
it will not be possible to counteract this development through the construction
of more roads.
Access to economic opportunities is also adversely affected by traffic
congestion, as business activities move from inner cities to the outskirts,
further increasing the cost of fuel and transportation for all our people.
Transport Month and Car Free Day are meant to help in finding better
transport solutions for Gauteng, through a reduction of car dependence and the
promotion of public transport.
Last year's Car Free Day helped us to achieve a few key milestones such
as:
* the creation of a popular platform for robust debates on matters of public
transport
* the broadening of constitutionally entrenched requirements for public
participation, further deepening our young democracy
* raising awareness and campaigning for the delimitation of the emission of
harmful gasses to the atmosphere, thus contributing to the saving of the
environment
* laying bases for the promotion of public transport and to mobilise all
spheres of government, through local investment
* working towards the creation of an integrated and quality public transport
system that offers a realistic alternative to individual transport
* mobilising the community of Gauteng to look at ways and means of stemming the
tide of the rising cost of fuel, especially as it relates to the affordability
of public transport.
Last year, many ordinary people, public transport operators, business
leaders and government officials also used taxis, buses and trains as a way of
experiencing public transport and finding sustainable mobility solutions for
our province.
Transport Month and Car Free Day also helped us to pursue, with vigour, the
strategic objectives of creating an integrated, efficient and effective public
transport system that is intertwined with safety, reliability, accessibility,
affordability and environmental awareness. We hope to do even better this
year.
We are convinced that by working together with the community of Gauteng, we
will gradually achieve our strategic objectives.
We are also looking at responding to issues raised in our inaugural campaign
in the form of:
* Introducing a new public transport friendly tolling policy as part of our
"freeway improvement plan", that would favour high occupancy vehicles on our
roads. The proposed tolling policy will give incentives to high occupancy
vehicles (such as taxis, busses and private vehicles with three or more
occupants), in the form of discounts using electronic tolling.
* A commuter subsidy system that spreads the support and benefit across the
commuter divides in Gauteng; we have also helped commuters to launch the first
united voice in the form of the Gauteng Commuter Organisation.
* Helping transport operators to modernise their business and services so as to
give comprehensive benefits to the users, through the Taxi Recapitalisation
Programme. In this respect, we have made great strides and have started issuing
thousands of new operating licences.
* We already see busses that are friendly to people with disabilities, on our
roads.
* We also welcome the initiative of Transnet to invest in rail freight.
We are making strides, however greater strides still needs to be made, and
working together we shall build a world class public transport system, and
improve our transport system to move people and goods in a smarter and better
way.
Enquiries:
Alfred Nhlapo
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: (011) 355 7532
Cell: 083 376 8496
Issued by: Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works, Gauteng
Provincial Government
18 October 2006
