Sustainable transport- the case of Rea Vaya Johannesburg

Presentation Outline

• Introduction• Key success areas/ lessons• Threats, challenges and opportunities

for action• 5 Key thematic questions/issues• Policy and governance requirements• Concluding remarks• Recommendations for Green Economy

Plan

From private vehicles to buses

From taxis to buses

But taxis will always remain

Introduction

• Transport sector is the second largest contributor to poor air quality in Johannesburg

• Major congestion even in off peak hours• Opportunity to reduce number of trips and travel time

and therefore reduce vehicle emissions• BRT is the single biggest investment in reducing

greenhouse gas emissions• Initial estimate that Rea Vaya will reduce 382 940 tCO2

equivalent by 2013 (122 km) and 1 600 000 tCO 2 equivalent by 2020 (330km)

Overview of Rea Vaya

– Phase 1A: Regina Mundi (Lakeview) to Ellis Park• Includes events service for 2010 Fifa World

Cup– Phase 1B: Second Soweto route including past UJ

and Wits and to Sandton; • Feeders extending to Lenasia • Oxford Road link may be phased in later than

Soweto routes– Phase 1C: New route from Alex to Cresta

• Detailed planning still to be done

Facts and figures

• 121 Rea Vaya buses (articulated & complementary)• 25,5 kms of trunk infrastructure supported by 27

stations• One new Rea Vaya Bus Operating company• Patronage is 29 000 PAX with 950 trips• Expected to generate R158 m in year one• A shared Rea Vaya control centre at Roads Agency

Head Office• A fare system using smartcards• Capital expenditure = R1,58bn to date• 5599 jobs created

In implementation now

Benefits

• Economic Growth:– Increasing mobility and reducing congestion – Job creation, new industries– Potential to transform public transport sector

especially taxis.• Poverty Alleviation- Reducing cost of transport to

residents, including most vulnerable• Restructuring Apartheid City

– Enables transit-orientated development along key transport corridors

– Brings “Soweto closer to the CBD”• Sustainable Development

– Significant reduction in CO2 emissions• Good governance-regulate and enforce

Key success areas/ lessons

• Link programme to existing climate change opportunities to capitalise on benefits e.g. fleet technology, planning imperatives, air quality

• Involve experts as much as possible- project supported by German and ITDP experts throughout

• CDM application process allows ongoing internal engagement to build internal capacity and institutional knowledge

• Complicated methodology for baseline assessment- lessons learnt from Transmelinio in Bogotá

• Report progress on an ongoing basis for checks and balances

Threats, Challenges and Opportunities for action

• World class public transport system• The taxi industry- here to stay• Opportunity to move operators from second to first

economy- from taxi owners to bus owners/ operators• New jobs in bus operation, maintenance, fare collection,

security

• Testing next generation climate friendly buses including ethanol, CNG, and biodiesel buses in order to gain operational, environmental, and financial data on their impact

• Teething problems in implementation but system working well to date

5 Key thematic questions/issues

• Public transport as a major structuring element in spatial orientation of cities and municipalities

• Transport as an element for low carbon city development• Fleet and fuel technologies that are locally relevant• Transformation and reform of transport sector• Mobility as a contributor to productivity and economy

Policy shifts for Sustainable Transport

• Shift commuters to public transport – give consumers a choice

• Reclaim green spaces and urban landscape for walking and biking by creating commuter Non-Motorized Transit (NMT) routes

• New technologies- cleaner buses and use cleaner fuel to improve air quality

• Incentives for employers to develop ride-share, car pool and public infrastructure

• Penalties one commuter, one car drivers via toll fees, congestion charges, and higher parking fees at one’s place of work

Policy shifts for sustainable transport

• Enforce higher emissions standards and get polluting vehicles off the road

• Guide to financing and technology choices-national• Land use requirements for nodes• Densification programme on BRT routes through urban

design• Package of investment portfolios for developers within the

corridors• Secondary policy interventions e.g non-motorised

interventions and greening

Concluding remarks

• Rea Vaya is a test case for South Africa• Is there a need for a uniform approach?• Funding of public transport- taxi recapitalization,

bus subsidies, vehicle allowances and tax implications

• Transport sector and opportunities for emission reductions vis a vis urbanisation trends

• NY transist systems carries 4 million passengers a day??

• IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE

Recommendations

• Involve experts as much as possible- project supported by German and ITDP experts throughout

• Link programme to existing climate change opportunities to capitalize on benefits e.g. fleet technology, planning imperatives, air quality

• CDM application process, first of its kind in Africa-allow ongoing internal engagement to build internal capacity and institutional knowledge

• Complicated methodology for baseline assessment- lessons learnt from Transmelinio in Bogotá

• Report progress on an ongoing basis for checks and balances

Recommendations

• Government must govern and lead• Cities and municipalities to continue to be centres of

innovation and learning• Build cities of the future where our children can live• BRT has a potential to revolutionalise our transport

system in terms of infrastructure, funding model and implementation

• Green transport for a green economy

Dankie, Thank you, Enkosi,Ke a leboga, Ndolivhiwu, Hi khensile, Ke a leboha

Flora MokgohloaExecutive Director Environmental Management

City of Johannesburg+27 11 587 4210+27 82 559 3750

floram@joburg.org.zaenvironment@joburg.org.za

www.joburg.org.za