Try a different trip to work

Instead of relying on your car to get around town, try a Rea Vaya bus or a lift club, especially on Car Free Day on 20 October.
MANY Joburgers would be panicked at the thought of having to go a day without their cars, but for some, taking a day off from driving to work in heavy traffic would be a dream come true.

WalkingTransport is also about peopleAlthough walking or cycling to work might seem a bit far-fetched, especially for those who travel long distances, there are other options requiring less stamina for those wanting to partake in Car Free Day on 20 October.

Car Free Day takes place each year as part of Transport Month. The theme for this year is Connecting People and Places. Transport should not only be restricted to private cars, and commuters should bear in mind public transport, cycling, lift clubs and even walking.

According to Rehana Moosajee, the City’s portfolio head of transport, walking reduces traffic congestion. “Foot is also another mode,” she says. “It is also transport. People should take time to experience the city – it is a wonderful experience. Transport is not only about cars, buses, taxis and trains; it is about people.”

To promote walking, the City is developing infrastructure that is conducive to pedestrian traffic. Pedestrian bridges, kerbs and walkways are being built as part of the non-motorised transport projects of the Expanded Public Works Programme.

Speaking during the run-up to Transport Month, Moosajee said too many people in Joburg did not know what was on offer and refused to cross the transport divide.

Rea Vaya
Rea Vaya is one option to take you to places you would usually not venture. A trip from Soweto to the CBD, for example, which normally takes one-and-a-half hours by car, can be cut to a comfortable 30-minute commute by using the Bus Rapid Transit system.

This means that motorists can bypass the heavy congestion during the week, and don’t have to wait for lengthy periods for a bus or in long queues to buy a ticket.

Norman Qobolo, Rea Vaya’s deputy director of modelling and funding, said: “Rea Vaya has set the tone for an improved public transport mode in Johannesburg and in South Africa.”

Reliable public transport like Rea vayaCommuters on a Rea Vaya busAdding to the experience are pretty stations complete with public art, where commuters can wait while being protected from the elements. The red and blue stations are doted around the city and along the route to Soweto. The artworks are sandblasted or laser cut on to the thick glass panels, capturing Joburg’s vibrant atmosphere and its unique people.

Apart from the striking artwork and modern design, the stations are also disabled friendly. According to Jonathan Manning, the principal architect at Ikemeleng Architects, which designed the stations, the structure needed to offer commuters an adequate level of comfort, safety and security. This included the location of each station, the raised platforms as well as ramps leading up to the stations.

Additional features include handrails on either side of the ramps and rest rails at the stations. The window height of the ticketing booth is lower to accommodate people in wheelchairs.

For visually impaired commuters, the ramps have lights on either sides and specific colours are used inside the station making it user friendly for all passengers. For example, there are yellow blocks at the areas where the bus doors open for boarding.

When operations first began with the first trunk route – Phase 1A – buses ran between Ellis Park in Doornfontein and Thokoza Park in Soweto. They made 16 000 trips a day, covering 5 100 kilometres. As the bus services grew in popularity, feeder routes were introduced. Now buses connect Dobsonville, Protea Glen, Eldorado Park, Naledi, Mofolo and Maponya Mall.

There is also an inner city circle route.

This phase focuses mainly on connecting Soweto and the inner city, but Phase 1B is almost complete and will connect Soweto and the northern suburbs. Phase 1B’s trunk route will run from Soweto, passing Noordgesig, Pennyville, Highgate, Auckland Park and Braamfontein, and end in Parktown.

Bus stations have already been built, and 134 buses will be introduced when this phase starts operating.

Lift clubs
The Soweto Business Express is a good option for public transport usersThe Soweto Business Express is a good option for public transport usersRea Vaya is still being rolled out, however, and is not yet accessible to all Joburgers. For areas that are not served by the system, lift clubs can also be set up.

To promote lift clubs as an option to reduce traffic congestion, Eqstra Fleet Management (EFM) launched the Best Lift Club portal on 4 October to help commuters save money, improve road safety and cut carbon emissions.

Gauteng MEC for roads and transport, Ismail Vadi, is part of this project, which expects to deliver convenience and savings to cash-strapped commuters, while improving safety on the roads, with the aim of building on-going partnerships between EFM and the department of transport.

Speaking at the launch of Transport Month – when Best Lift Club was also launched – Vadi said: “Traffic congestion is a major problem in the province. By using lift clubs and public transport, the roads can be made safer and more pleasant for everyone.”

Another feature of this project is that it includes the use of public transport through the Gautrain feeder lifts, where corporates are encouraged to set up pick up points between Gautrain stations and their offices.

With the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) being hosted in Durban later this year and the Carbon Tax Green Paper, which was open for public discussion, it is becoming essential for companies to turn to initiatives that will help offset their carbon emissions.

By joining a lift club, commuters can save on petrol and potential toll fees, while also reducing carbon emissions and helping the planet. In addition, lift clubs help reduce traffic congestion and road wear and tear, making the roads safer for all users.