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Wednesday 23 May 2012

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For People on The Move

 

A new energy is buzzing in the streets of Gauteng. The people in the province of gold cannot wait for Gautrain. Stations and tracks are taking shape near favourite hot spots and soon Gautrain will take the first commuters to new places, new dreams, new opportunities and a new legacy in public transport.

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Gautrain, South Africa

Africa’s beauty for people on the move

In schools and offices, in hotels and shopping malls, people are talking about a new way of life that this Golden Train will bring. Ambitious and upwardly mobile, the people on the move will soon enjoy the freedom of arriving on time for a lunch appointment in Rosebank, a quick movie in Hatfield, binge shopping in Jozi, sundowners in Sandton and at home in Centurion a few minutes later.

 

 

The people of Gauteng will sit back and relax in the comfort of a worldclass train that will get them there safely, conveniently and on time every time.

 

All-day traffic jams and stressors such as parking shortages, escalating vehicle insurance premiums, regular maintenance and rising fuel prices belong the past. Instead, Gautrain will become the daily mode of choice for commuters pressed for time and convenience. What is more, there is also a fleet of Gautrain feeder buses to use if walking to and from a Gautrain station is a little too far away.

 

Gautrain is the way to get you around province of gold. An economic powerhouse of the continent, Gauteng will boast a population of around 14,6 million people by 2015. Having the vision to provide economic mobility for its people, the Gauteng Provincial Government is at the forefront of infrastructure development that will transform Gauteng into a truly competitive global city region. Furthermore, is expected that an additional two million job opportunities can be created in Gauteng during the period 2005 to 2025 should the economy of the province grow at an average annual rate of between 4,5% and 5%.

 

 

By attracting new investments and changing the lifestyle and landscape of the province of gold, Gautrain will contribute significantly towards the provincial government’s economic growth forecasts. Already, Gautrain has exceeded initial targets set for job creation, local skills development and capacity building with an estimated total of 92 900 direct, indirect and induced jobs created to date. It is estimated that Gautrain will create and/or retain about 93 000 direct, indirect and induced jobs during the design, construction and commissioning of the project and more than 2 700 jobs per annum during the operation and maintenance of the project. Furthermore, it is estimated that an additional 40 000 jobs will be created due to developments in the vicinity of the stations.

Key Features

• Trains every 12 minutes during peak periods during the first three years; thereafter, at ten minute intervals during these peak periods

• Only 15 minutes between OR Tambo International Airport Station and Sandton Station

• Only 42 minutes between Johannesburg Park Station and Hatfield in Tshwane

• A maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour

• 24 separate four-car trains

• Tight security on trains and stations through access control, electronic surveillance (over 650 CCTV cameras) and visible policing

• Bus feeder and distributor services for passengers up to ten kilometres from stations.

• The bus and train schedules will be synchronised.

 

 

• Smart card electronic ticketing needing only one ticket for the train, bus and parking

• Ten stations on an 80 kilometre route, between five and eight kilometres apart

• The two forward rail cars on the airport service will comprise special airport cars with fewer but wider and more luxurious seats and special areas for baggage storage near the doors.

• Quick 30 to 45 second stops at stations

• Passengers can transfer easily between Gautrain and other forms of transport, such as the new Bus Rapid Transport services, planes, taxis, Metrorail trains and cars

• Park-and-ride facilities with more than 10 000 parking bays at stations

• To increase capacity after the initial period, an increasing number of train sets will be operated as eight-car train sets, comprising two four-car units coupled together.

Project Timeline

 

Construction started at the end of September 2006. Gautrain will be completed in two phases:

 

The first phase will be completed in June 2010. It includes the route between the OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. It also includes the train and bus depot and operations control centre located south of Allandale Road in Midrand.

 

The second phase is scheduled for completion by the end of March 2011. That includes the remainder of the route and stations such as Hatfield, Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand, Rosebank and Johannesburg Park Station.

 

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