The Eastern Cape Department of Transport will hold its second Provincial Integrated Public Transport Master Plan stakeholder engagement meeting on Thursday, 9 February at the Mthatha Civic Centre at 9h30.
The department’s engagement process is in full swing with stakeholders such as business sector representatives, Labour representatives, Public Transport Operators and State Entities on board in trying to achieve the ultimate goal of the Provincial Integrated Public Transport Master Plan (PIPTMP) of having a reliable public transport system that satisfies the needs of the people in the province.
This by repositioning the transport system to be a catalyst in addressing government’s key priorities, which in the main, include, Education, Health, Housing, and access to basic amenities like water, sanitation and electricity.
The creation of an integrated public transport system is to promote Intermodalism to improve access for the people, especially the vulnerable groups (disabled and elderly) to safe, reliable and affordable public transport and also reposition public transport to play a facilitative role in rural development as a priority of government in order to improve access to economic opportunities.
The purpose of the stakeholder engagement is to obtain information about the current status of public transport supply and demand throughout the Eastern Cape Province and afford them (stakeholders) an opportunity to influence any future public transport system and to ensure that it captures their aspirations.
The ultimate goal of the Master Plan is to have a reliable public transport system that satisfies the needs of the people in the Province as well as visitors and tourists, with published timetables for scheduled services which operate from improved facilities such as bus termini, taxi ranks and train stations (public transport facilities).
Further meetings will be held with District Transport Forums during February and March 2012 to discuss the current transport situation and the need for improved mobility, co-ordination and integration between the various public transport services in the Eastern Cape.
The approach to preparing the master plan will consist of the following main steps:
- Establish the current provision and utilisation of public transport services in the Province
- Determine the current, latest and future demand for public transport.
- Prepare a network and operational strategy which identifies the best combination of modes to serve the passenger demand determined in the previous step.
- Determine the transitional phases necessary to implement the operational strategy
- Preparation of the Integrated Public Transport Master Plan indicating the routes, services, frequencies, modal interchange points and types of vehicles required, together with a prioritised programme showing when new routes and service should be implemented.
Enquiries:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Communications Director
Cell: 082 562 6023
