Question no 466
Mr MSF de Freitas (DA) asked the Minister of Transport:
Whether there are any finalised implementation plans to introduce the Business Express Services that are planned in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town; if not, why not; if so, how much has been budgeted for each city for the (a) establishment and (b) provision of these services?
Reply:
The Minister of Transport:
Metrorail, a Division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), has the following five (5) Business Express trains in the Johannesburg and Cape Town Regions, namely:-
Johannesburg
Soweto Business Express: Naledi – Johannesburg
Two (2) Tshwane Business Express trains: Pretoria – Johannesburg
Cape Town
Khayelitsha Business Express: Khayelitsha – Cape Town
Northern Star Business Express: Strand – Cape Town
The above-mentioned services are in operation for some time now. Parts (a) and (b) are therefore not applicable for these services.
Plans are in place to introduce a Business Express service in the Durban Region that will operate between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The train will start operating in October 2009.
(a) and (b)
The train is being refurbished within the Accelerated Rolling Stock programme at a cost of R6 million. The monthly operating cost is R500 000. Initially one train will operate and depending on demand an additional train will be considered in the new financial year.
Issued by: Department of Transport
10 September 2009
