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The Rustenburg Rapid Transport project
The Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT) project is a public transport initiative that is being implemented in the City of Rustenburg in North West Province in South Africa. Emanating from the South African government’s Public Transport Strategy and Action Plan of 2007, the RRT aims to develop a modern public transport system for the City of Rustenburg that will come into operation in 2015. The project has been commissioned by the Rustenburg Municipality to improve the quality of life for commuters who live and work in the area, to stimulate local economic development and to build on the spatial development plans for the city.

Rustenburg is one of 12 cities in South Africa identified by the country’s national government as a candidate for implementing a public transport improvement project. The RRT system will execute the recommendations of the Public Transport Strategy and Action Plan. The project, which will cost ZAR 3 billion, is being funded primarily through a Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant (PTISG) from the national South African government.

When the system comes into operation in 2015, the RRT will offer an Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN) service to more than 200,000 commuters in the area, ensuring that they have easy access to public transport that is safe, reliable, fast and affordable. All residents of Rustenburg will be able to access the RRT within one kilometre of their homes or places of work.

The RRT will provide Rustenburg with a comprehensive, integrated public transport system with bus rapid transport (BRT) trunk corridors, direct bus routes and feeder routes to serve the city, the mining operations in the region and the surrounding rural and township settlements.

The RRT service will be operated under contract to the Municipality of Rustenburg by current Taxi and Bus owners and operators who will form a business structure which will be tasked with running a viable commercial operation. The service will include a new fleet of universally accessible and low emission buses for optimal passenger transport.

About Rustenburg
One of the fastest growing cities in South Africa, Rustenburg is a centre for agriculture and mining, is home to the Royal Bafokeng Nation, and is on a primary route to some of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa.

Rustenburg is located in the foothills of the Magaliesberg Mountains in North West Province, in close proximity to Phokeng, the seat of the Royal Bafokeng Nation. The heritage and identity of the Bafokeng monarchy contributes significantly to the life of Rustenburg and the tribal authorities are prominent stakeholders in the city’s development.

The region around Rustenburg is home to two of the largest platinum mines in the world, owned by Impala Platinum and AngloPlats mining companies, and has one of the biggest platinum refineries in the world that processes about 70% of the world’s platinum.

The city has a population of over 500,000 and more than half of the economically active population employed are working for the mines in the area. Strong shift work mobility patterns are noted.

In 2010, Rustenburg was one of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup host cities, and boasts the Royal Bafokeng Stadium that was built for the event.

The historic significance of Rustenburg dates back to the 12th Century when the area was first settled by the Batswana people. The city itself has historic sites dating back to the days of the Voortrekkers. Under the leadership of Andries Pretorius, the town of Rustenburg was founded by a group of Boer settlers in 1851 to serve as an administrative centre in this fertile agricultural area.

Rustenburg is conveniently located near some of the most popular tourist attractions in South Africa such as the Sun City, a luxury casino and resort that draws thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. Other scenic attractions include Big Five game reserves, such as Madikwe and Pilanesberg that offer a malaria-free, African safari experience.

Transport in Rustenburg
More than half the city’s population is dependent on public transport. There is no rail service to serve the people of Rustenburg and commuters use buses and taxis. As a result the roads are congested. The main routes from Kanana and Phokeng into the city’s central business district (CBD) and out to the mines in the area are crowded with taxis, trucks, pedestrians and cyclists. An integrated transport system along these routes would transform the experience of commuters and change the face of the city.

The Concept of Rapid Transport
Modern rapid transport or transit systems have been established in a number of developing countries in recent years. They are designed to provide an integrated transport network of safer, faster, affordable and more efficient public transport. Rapid transport systems operate on fully or partly dedicated roads and transport routes. They connect with existing systems of rail, buses and minibus taxis, ensuring that people can move much more easily around a city. In South Africa, the rapid transport systems being developed are modelled on those successfully operating in Bogota in Columbia and in Singapore in Malaysia. The first phases of rapid transport systems are in place in the cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

Funding of the RRT
The RRT project is funded by a conditional grant from the South African national government, through the allocation of a Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant (PTISG), authorised by the National Department of Transport (NDOT) and issued by the National Treasury. The condition of the PTISG is that effective spending of the grant each year determines the allocation for the following year; therefore efficiency in delivery is central to the project.

RRT Routes
The RRT aims to meet the transport needs of more than 200,000 commuters in the City of Rustenburg and the surrounding areas. Two main routes covering some 40kms along the R510 and the R565 are planned to link the rural settlements of Phokeng and Kanana to the Rustenburg CBD. Some 100 giant articulated buses will run on the main routes. These will be integrated with feeder routes via 37 closed stations to ensure that that commuters travelling from their homes to their places of work, or to schools, clinics, hospitals or shops, will have access to the RRT.

Dedicated lanes will be provided for the exclusive use of the RRT buses to ensure that they are not impeded by the congestion of traffic flow. Buses will run frequently, no less than one every half an hour and as often as every five minutes during peak times.

The buses will stop at safe, clean, enclosed stations. From the stations, commuters will be able to quickly connect with other direct and feeder routes.

While bus rapid transport (BRT) is one of the components of the RRT system design, it will not be an exclusively BRT driven operation. The routes will be planned to integrate with bus routes servicing the mines, suburbs and outlying village areas as well as long-distance bus services, which will work together as a system to move people around a city. The system will transform and replace most of the current mini-bus taxi services operating locally with a modern bus system.

Universal Access
The RRT will be designed so that all people can easily use it, including the estimated 6,000 people in the Rustenburg region who are not able bodied, such as the disabled, people with visual or hearing impairment, the elderly, young children and children in prams and injured people on crutches or in wheelchairs. Universal Access applies to the vehicles, stations, stops, depots, centres and amenities associated with the public transport system. The RRT project has a Universal Access Consultant working with the design and construction unit to advise on all aspects of the system. Universal Access is a requirement being prescribed by the South African government for all new public transport solutions.

Smart Ticketing System
Smart card technology will allow commuters to use the same method of payment throughout, enabling quick and easy transfer between direct and feeder routes at the RRT stations and bus stops.

Sustainability
Due to the high usage of public transport and the extended service needs due to shift work on the mines, the RRT has the potential to be a profitable business model for the city on the main trunk routes.

The RRT will contribute towards achieving South Africa’s objective to reduce carbon emissions growth by 34% by 2020 by reducing the number of vehicles on the road, and introducing more carbon efficient passenger transport options.

Infrastructure Upgrades
Roads and bridges will be upgraded where required to support the new RRT system. Priority will also be given to the safety of pedestrians and cyclists along roads and within the CBD. The National Transport Policy gives priority to public over private transport and a trade-off of space allocated to public transport versus mixed use lanes (passenger cars, freight vehicles) is to be expected.

Rustenburg Transport Agency
The Rustenburg Transport Agency will be established under the local Municipality to manage the RRT system as well as all other transport needs of the city.

Transport Management Centre
A high tech centralised Transport Management centre will allow for efficient system management and optimum communication with drivers and terminal staff. This will include GPS-based automatic vehicle location to track buses; a driver management system to manage drivers’ handling of the buses; as well as scheduling systems for drivers, their buses and operators. The centre will ensure that passengers receive up-to-the-minute information about the next bus stop or the next bus arrival. Voice announcements will accommodate commuters who cannot read or are visually impaired.

Bus Operating Companies
Taxi and Bus operators in the region are being engaged to run and operate the RRT as a viable commercial venture. A 6-stage negotiation process is being followed to properly evaluate and compensate existing taxi businesses which will be replaced by the RRT; and to allow interested participants to become the contracted Bus Operators for the initial contract period.

Bus Depots
Two bus depots will be built to accommodate the new buses in Rustenburg at the end of each Trunk route – located in Phokeng and in Kanana. The new depots will drastically reduce the congestion at the inner city Taxi Rank. The Bus Operating Companies will deliver services including maintenance, refuelling, and washing and staff services from the Depots.

Job Creation
No Loss of Legitimate Jobs

The South African government has committed to existing taxi operators that jobs will not be lost, but transformed into new opportunities through a transparent process of negotiation and consultation. Currently the informal taxi industry in Rustenburg has an estimated 2100 operators with 1-2 taxis each. Drivers, marshalls and washers will be offered the opportunity to look at new career options in the RRT along with the required skills training where necessary.

Formal Job Opportunities

RRT will provide a number of formal job opportunities, including construction, station management, cleaning and security. Job creation and enterprise development opportunities are being scoped in the planning phase. Up to 5,000 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase. Other local business opportunities will also be created through the RRT project.

The Rustenburg Transport Agency will need to employ an estimated 80 permanent staff, with preference given to Rustenburg residents. There will be jobs created in traffic surveillance, facilities management, IT management, marketing, administration, maintenance and cleaning; as well as jobs such as bus drivers, IT systems operators and technicians, marshals, security personnel, station ambassadors, call centre operators and training officers.

Skills Transfer

The Rustenburg Municipality has stipulated that 25% of all the RRT contract values must be spent in Rustenburg. This means an injection of at least ZAR750 million into the local Rustenburg economy, accompanied by mandatory skills transfer. All suppliers are required to be accredited, according to the South African national government’s requirements for compliance with Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). Experienced suppliers coming in to work on the project are doing so in partnership with local firms such as local architects, IT specialists and communications and engineering services.

Transport Rustenburg Incubation Programme (TRIP)

TRIP is one of the first programmes of its kind in South Africa and manifests the city’s commitment to building skills from the ground up. The TRIP programme is selecting university graduates from the Transport Engineering field for a three-year learnership programme, to be run concurrently with the RRT project, to build future talent for the effective management of the public transport system in years to come. Preference is being given to local residents.

Stakeholder Engagement
Role-players

The RRT have a major stakeholder engagement programme, ensuring that all groups are informed and consulted about the proposed public transport system. The stakeholder groups include informal traders, local business groups, environmental activists, civil society, tourist associations, organised labour, artist community, educational and health institutions, disability associations, funders, petrochemical companies. A monthly stakeholder forum is held around the project for formal representation and input.

Levels of Stakeholder Engagement

Final decisions regarding the public transport network, business plan and budget spend are taken at this level. This includes the core local government executive team and the consulting firm of experts who will guide the project.
 * Decision making:

Key aspects of the RRT project will be shared with the important stakeholders at this level. Stakeholders will be invited to share thinking, insights and propose ideas and thoughts to aid the project design and implementation.
 * Participation:

Once general agreement on the RRT project has been reached by the expert team and stakeholders, the project will be shared with the public and comments made will be noted by the RRT Steering Committee.
 * Engagement:

For any stakeholder or member of the public not wanting to attend meetings or be actively involved in engagement, the RRT project will be providing information on the RRT web-site, through the local media and in the form of an RRT newsletter.
 * Information :

Existing Transport Operators

The Rustenburg Transport Agency is engaging with representatives of the taxi industry in Rustenburg and the surrounding areas to find transparent solutions that will enable all current taxi operators to participate in the new opportunities for enterprise and job creation and bring benefits to all. Existing bus and taxi operators are being engaged from the outset of this project to ensure complete understanding of the operational opportunities, contracts, employment and business opportunities. The aim is to have operational entities in place by mid-2012 to work alongside the project as it is implemented.

The policy for the transition to the new system is that there will be no loss of legitimate jobs. The committed existing operators are guaranteed of operational contracts in the new system for the initial licensing period. Operating contracts will be agreed through a formal negotiation process. The Rustenburg Transport Agency is drawing on the expertise of existing taxi operators to assist with the design stage of the RRT. These taxi drivers are familiar with the area, they know the people, they know which routes work best and how much people can afford. They are able to add considerable value to the design of the RRT project. The existing vehicles in the system will be exchanged for new modern vehicles compliant to the universal access and emissions requirements and large enough for the passenger numbers.

The RRT Project Team
Managing the RRT Project is the Rustenburg Integrated Network Joint Venture (RINJV) which was awarded the project management following a tender process. The RINJV operates under the direction of Dr Maletse Kiddo Mako Municipal Manager, and Mr Victor Makona, Chief Operating Officer at the Rustenburg Municipality, who also oversees the RRT Steering Committee, a top level local government committee in the Rustenburg Municipality recently put in place to ensure smooth delivery of the project.

The RRT Project Team consists of a Project Manager, transport planning consultants, transport engineering consultants, international public transport experts, and marketing and communications consultants. This team is responsible for overseeing every step of the timeline on the project to ensure that it is completed on time and within budget. The Project Team oversees the more than 80 people involved in the management of this project.

National Transport Policy
The RRT in Rustenburg is aligned with the objectives of the National Transport Action Plan, approved by Cabinet in 2007. In terms of the Plan, the National Department of Transport (NDOT) has identified 12 cities in South Africa, including Rustenburg, that need to roll out an Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN) with the objective of supporting economic development. Objectives of the IRPTN:


 * 85% of a city's residents to be within 1 km of the network (either a rail or road trunk corridor, or a road or non-motorised feeder service to a trunk corridor);
 * Provide a car-competitive option that sees 20% of commuters switching from using private cars to public transport networks by 2020;
 * Link all major origins and destinations within an IRPTN, 16 to 24 hours a day;
 * Provide high frequency transport along trunk corridors – at least every five minutes in peak periods and every 10 to 30 minutes in off-peak periods;
 * Ensure journey times that are car-competitive (under 60 minutes door-to-door for urban commuters);
 * Integrated feeder services between bus, rail and taxi services as well as integration with metered taxis and long-distance public transport;
 * Safe and secure operations monitored by a Control Centre;
 * Dedicated road space, dignified public space, food pedestrian and bicycle access, good park and ride facilities for car users, and high quality stations, stops, interchanges, terminals and depots;
 * Independent electronic fare collection service (a single method of payment using smart card operation) as well as electronic fare integration when making transfers;
 * Safe, secure, clean, reliable, affordable and comfortable public transport;
 * Universal access that caters for all members of the public, including full special needs and wheelchair access for all trunk corridor vehicles, and at least on-demand specialised feeder services to the trunk corridors;
 * Municipal control over IRPTNs; and
 * Maximum stake for existing bus and minibus-taxi sectors in the IRPTN operations.

The Public Transport Action Plan (2007:4) states that "... the aim for major cities is to upgrade both commuter rail services and bus and minibus services to a Rapid Rail and a Bus Rapid Transit level of quality respectively. Ultimately these services will be fully integrated to form a single system regardless of mode."

The Action Plan goes on to state (2007:21) "Achieving [this] legacy ... will require a municipality acting as a network authority that procures the required public transport infrastructure – including dedicated road space, dignified public space, food pedestrian and bicycle access, good park and ride facilities for car users, and high quality stations, stops, interchanges, terminals and depots. High quality vehicles are specified in the operating contracts and are tailored to meet a corridor's particular service requirements.

"The public authority contracts and independent electronic fare collection service and receives the fare revenue and pays operators per vehicle kilometre. Operators do NOT compete for passengers on the road but rather on meeting performance quality standards and by supplying contracted vehicle kilometres. The public authority carries the final demand risk and can re-deploy operators at no revenue risk to the latter.

"Minibus operators and employees are full participants in providing service in the corridor network – but only in terms of the integrated plan. The network is monitored and controlled through Public Transport Information Technology such as smartcards, vehicle tracking linked to a control centre, Public Transport priority at traffic signals, CCTV surveillance at facilities etc. The focus of these upgraded networks is on the USER. Safety, security, cleanliness, reliability, comfort and image are addressed. To add user convenience, simple fare structures are developed that allow users to take maximum advantage of the network, through free transfers."

Fast facts box:
RRT picture Project start date: 2011 Due date for completion: 2015 Where: The City of Rustenburg What: Integrated public transport network system

Links:
www.rustenburgrapidtransport.co.za

www.rustenburg.gov.za

www.transport.gov.za