INTEGRATED TRANSPORT PLAN

Transcription

1 WEST COAST DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY INTEGRATED TRANSPORT PLAN APRIL 2006 Iliso Consulting (Pty) Ltd Tel: (021) Fax: (021) Web: Reg No: 2000/ Jeffares & Green (Pty) Ltd P O Box Pinelands CAPE TOWN 7430 Tel: (021) Fax: (021) E - mail: hitgeg@jgi.co.za

2 Integrated Transport Plan for the West Coast 1 st Draft 03/02/2012 TABLE OF CONTENT TABLE OF CONTENT... i 1. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Demand side of the transport system Supply side of the transport system STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREPARING THE ITP YEAR TO BE APPLICABLE LAND TRANSPORT, VISION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK National Land Transport Transition Act (Act 22 of 2000) Development Facilitation Act (Act 67 of 1995) Municipal Systems Act (Act 32 of 2000) NATIONAL POLICIES RELATING TO TRANSPORT White Paper on National Transport Policy Moving South Africa (Action Agenda) PROVINCIAL POLICY ON TRANSPORT Provincial White Paper on Transport Provincial Land Transport Framework (PLTF) Strategic Plan: 2005/06 to 2009/ VISION, GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR TRANSPORT IN THE WESTERN CAPE Provincial White Paper on Transport Transport Branch of the Western Cape Provincial Government VISION, MISSION & GOALS FROM THE WEST COAST IDP : 2006/ VISION, GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR TRANSPORT IN THE WEST COAST Proposed Goals Proposed Objectives LAND TRANSPORT STATUS QUO ROAD NETWORK Introduction Road Classification Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting C05002/25/West Coast ITP i

3 Integrated Transport Plan for the West Coast 1 st Draft 03/02/ Rural Roads Urban roads RAIL NETWORK Introduction Rail Network PUBLIC TRANSPORT Introduction Routes Transport Service Capacity PASSENGER FLOWS OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Ranks and Routes Fares Contract Services Possitive Attributes of Current Long Distance Services Constaints of Current Long Distance Services Minimbus Taxi Association FACILITIES Introduciton Public Transport Infrastructure Pounds Weighbridges FREIGHT TRANSORT Introduction Freight Generators Airfields INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES Introduction Organisational Structure Transport Planning Law Enforcement Traffic Safety SPATIAL FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION PROVINCIAL SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK POLICIES OF THE WEST COAST DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY TOWN PLANNING THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECTS PERSONAL MOVEMENT Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting C05002/25/West Coast ITP ii

4 Integrated Transport Plan for the West Coast 1 st Draft 03/02/ NEEDS ASESSMENT INTRODUCTION PERSONAL MOVEMENT CURRENT DEMAND ESTIMATED FROM PUBLIC TRANSPORT TRIPS DEMAND FOR PERSONAL TRIPS Within a Town Within a B-Municipality Within the West Coast Outside of the West Coast Transportation Planning for Tourism NEEDS REVEALED THROUGH WARD COMMITTEES IN IDP PROCESS Saldanha Bay Municipality Berg River Municipality Cederberg Municipality Matzikama Municipality PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROPOSAL INTRODUCTION MODES OF PERSONAL TRAVEL Pedestrian Needs Cycling Private Car PUBLIC TRANSPORT CORRIDORS PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES Local Licence Inter-town / Feeder Licence Long distance License Contract License Learner Licenses Weekend Licenses Tourist / Transfer Licences ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROPOSALS FOR WEST COAST DISTRICT Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting C05002/25/West Coast ITP iii

5 Integrated Transport Plan for the West Coast 1 st Draft 03/02/ TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ROAD NETWORK Introduction Rural Roads Urban Roads Road Network Travel Demand Management FREIGHT MOVEMENT Introduction Freight Model Town Level Municipal Level District Level Regional Level Goods Movement INCIDENT MANAGEMENT RAIL NETWORK Introduction Spoornet Lines Orex Line STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION INTRODUCTION HISTORIC DATA COLLECTION PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS FOR ITP PROCESS NATIONAL TRAVEL SURVEY FURTHER STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION TRANSPORT PLANNING PROJECTS INTRODUCTION PUBLIC TRANSPORT PLANNING PROJECTS Public Transport Corridor Concept Mobility Strategy Review of Data Collection methods: Current Public Transport Records (CPTR) Non Motorised Transport Assessment of service delivery Ambulance Service Integration of Public Transport and Learners Transport Rail Investigation MUNICIPAL SPECIFIC PROPOSALS Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting C05002/25/West Coast ITP iv

6 Integrated Transport Plan for the West Coast 1 st Draft 03/02/ Swartland Municipality Saldanha Municipality Berg River Municipality Cederberg Municipality Matzikama Municipality District Management Area INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS Swartland Municipality Saldanha Municipality Bergriver Municipality Cedarberg Municipality Matzikama Municipality PRIORITISED IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME Annexure A: Glossary of Terms Annexure B: West Coast intergated transport workshop Annexure C: POUNDS Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting C05002/25/West Coast ITP v

7 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND The economy of a region depends to a large extent on the efficiency with which people and goods are able to move to where they are economically productive. This plan, as its name indicates, integrates the planning efforts for the various components of this complex problem. By integration, duplication is minimised, while coordination is achieved between efforts in order to maximise the impact on the community. The underlying principle in planning for transport is that transport serves other goals, and is not a goal in itself. The planning should apply the best transportation engineering practice and focus this around the broader growth and development policies and objectives of the country. 1.2 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Transportation is a support function within the development planning process and not a goal in itself. Transportation planning does, however, have a crucial impact on the effectiveness of reaching various economic development goals. In order to plan for a transportation system that will support the other development goals effectively, it is necessary to first understand what the various components of these, and how these interact. The transportation system consists of: A demand side the people and goods that need to be transported, and A supply side the transportation system that allows the movements to occur. The demand side consists of the need for people and goods to be transported from a point of origin to a destination, mainly to achieve economic, institutional and social goals. The supply side consists of the infrastructure, modes and operational aspects of the transportation system. Figure 1.1 outlines the components of the transportation problem in broader terms. It shows the types of person and goods movements, as well as the mode and infrastructure components that are required to achieve the movement.

8 (Figure 1.1: Flow diagram of Transportation System) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 2

9 1.2.1 Demand side of the transport system People movements primarily originate at home, and typically have the following trip purposes: Work Education Institutional Retail Social Goods typically move in the following ways: Raw materials or parts as input into a manufacturing or production process; The output products as input parts or products for other production processes; As final product or consumables to the retail sector; From retail to the public or end user. Provision for transport can be a catalyst for, or at the very least stimulate, the demand for more travel. Higher levels of movement are typically an indication of a growing economy. The supply of transport should therefore not only meet existing demand, but should reserve capacity for future demand. An important consideration in planning infrastructure is the time variability of demand. Because the transport product, e.g. seats in a bus, cannot be stored, it is lost when not utilised. When a vehicle is parked therefore, it effectively has unused capacity and is unproductive. The more uniform the demand, the more efficient the supply can be. Providing for peak demand therefore leads to an oversupply of transport in the off-peak. The efficiency of the supply system can be improved by: Minimising the size of peak demand; (Travel Demand Management) Maximising the utilisation of vehicles; Stimulating demand in the off-peak when spare capacity exists. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 3

10 The combination of trips onto fewer vehicles has the effect of meeting the demand with a lower level of infrastructure and vehicles. Such combinations require more extensive management systems, but would result in an overall reduction in the cost to the transportation system Supply side of the transport system The supply side of the transport system consists of its physical components and the operational and management systems. The physical components are: Vehicles: Typically the different vehicle or service types; (e.g. bus, taxi, train) Infrastructure: The ways, or paths, on which vehicles move; (e.g. road, rail) Facilities: Places to access or do transfers within the system. The operational component consists of the modes, typically the type and function of the vehicles, and the times and frequency at which these operate. The management system includes the process of providing, improving and maintaining the physical components, road maintenance, and the operational components, issuing licenses, etc. Planning for these components is typically done by a variety of authorities. Integrated transport planning should ensure that the various planning authorities effectively and efficiently provide: i) the appropriate level of infrastructure; ii) ensure that the appropriate mode is used for a particular trip; iii) travel demand is minimised through spatial planning and economic development. i) The appropriate level of infrastructure. This is typically done through ensuring that different functional road classes are maintained to different minimum levels of service. ii) Ensure that the appropriate mode is used for a particular trip. The modes used for movement of people include: - Non-motorised transport, i.e. walking, cycling, animal driven - Private cars - Minibus taxis - Bus - Passenger rail Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 4

11 Modes associated with land transport of goods include: - Light delivery vehicles - Trucks - Freight rail iii) Travel demand is minimised through spatial planning and economic development. This could include higher density residential development, placement of schools, clinics etc. and location of factories. 1.3 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS Part 7 of the National Land Transport Transition Act, Act No 22 of 2000, (NLTTA), has been in operation since July 2002, in terms of Government Gazette No On this date all local and district municipalities were designated as planning authorities. The planning authority for the West Coast region of the Western Cape Province is the West Coast District Municipality. Planning authorities are required to prepare the statutory plans as required in terms of this Act, or to ensure that the planning is carried out on its behalf. The first of these statutory plans is the Current Public Transport Record (CPTR), which was completed with the assistance of the consultant team of Jeffares & Green (Pty) Ltd and Iliso Consulting. The CPTR was completed by 30 March The second and third of the statutory plans were based on the information obtained from the CPTR, and are the Operating License Strategy (OLS) and Rationalisation Plan (RATPLAN). No RATPLAN was required for the West Coast as this Municipality does not subsidise the type of bus services intended for by the NLTTA. The fourth plan in this process was the Public Transport Plan (PTP), which describes the planning, including the vision, for public transport in the West Coast. The OLS described the mechanism of transforming the public transport system from the status quo to that envisioned in the PTP. The Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) combines the planning efforts for public, private and freight transport. As planning is done for the different components of the transport system on various levels and by a variety of public departments, there is often an overlap of services, or the provision of infrastructure that leads to duplication or even conflicting uses. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 5

12 The ITP aims to coordinate these planning efforts to ensure that the most efficient use is made with the limited resources that are applied. 1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA The West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) comprises five municipalities, as well as the northern most area of the West Coast that is managed by the District Municipality, referred to as the District Municipal Area (DMA). The relative positions of the municipal areas are shown on Figure 1.2 and summarised in Table 1.1. The characteristics discussed in this section are taken mainly from the 2001/2002 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the West Coast. Table 1.1: West Coast Municipality Population MUNICIPALITY SIZE (km2) POPULATION No of Towns & Density Settlements (Persons/ ha) Swartland Saldanha Bay Bergriver Cederberg Matzikama DMA** TOTAL Source: IDP 2001/2002 from 1996 census, projected to 2002 volumes **District Municipal Area Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 6

13 (Figure 1.2: Map of West Coast Area showing municipal areas) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 7

14 Table 1.2 shows that the density of an urban area is about 100 times that of the rural West Coast area. One should, however, take into account that the rural population is concentrated into the 43 towns that would have densities comparable to that of the metropolitan area. Table 1.2: Population Densities of West Coast and the City of Cape Town MUNICIPALITY SIZE (km2) POPULATION* Density (Persons/ ha) West Coast Cape Metropolitan Area Table 1.3 shows that, except for the Saldanha Bay municipality, a significant number of people live in rural areas. The major towns and road network are shown in Figure 1.3. The average population density in the rural areas is much lower than the average for the total area. The majority of these people do not own private vehicles and are dependant on either their employers or a public transport service to meet their transportation needs. Table 1.3: Urbanisation Characteristics MUNICIPALITY POPULATION Urban Component Rural Component % Number % Number Swartland % % Saldanha Bay % % Bergriver % % Cederberg % % Matzikama % % DMA % % TOTAL % % Source: IDP 2001/2002 Goods are transported in smaller volumes and require smaller vehicles running over longer distances, thereby losing some of the economies of scale that reduce the cost of transport in urban areas. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 8

15 (Figure 1.3: WC2 from CPTR showing Towns and Major Road Network) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 9

16 The low densities in these vast areas result in higher transportation costs for both goods and persons. This plan will explore different strategies to be used in urban areas in trying to find a more cost effective means of supplying transport to the rural areas. 1.5 RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREPARING THE ITP The MEC for transport required that the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) prepare an Integrated Transport Plan for the entire West Coast Area. The Public Transport Branch of the Western Cape Provincial Administration appointed the consultant team of Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting to assist the WCDM in preparing these plans. The local B- municipalities also assisted in the preparation of the ITP. 1.6 YEAR TO BE APPLICABLE It is a requirement of the NLTTA that the ITP be updated at least once a year, based on updates made of the CPTR, OLS and RATPLAN and PTP. The regulation does however make provision for the Minister to determine a different date for the completion of these plans. This Integrated Transport Plan was due for completion on 31 October Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 10

17 2. LAND TRANSPORT, VISION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION It is important that the vision for transport in the West Coast is one that is shared by all the stakeholders in the community. Only then can all involved work towards achieving the goals and objectives that are set to create a public transport system that will be acceptable and beneficial to all. It is also crucial that the vision for transport is supportive of the provincial, and ultimately, the national vision for transport as promulgated and described in the NLTTA, Mobility Strategy, Rural transport. The Provincial and National government s strategic objectives are mainly based on an interpretation of the White Paper on National Transport Policy and the Moving South Africa (Action Agenda). LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK The spatial developments of cities in South Africa are guided by various laws and statutes. These laws are formulated at three different spheres of government, viz.: National, Provincial and Local government. Local government is further divided into the district level and municipal authorities. There are essentially three over-arching key legislative documents guiding spatial developments with regard to urban transportation systems in South Africa: The White Paper on National Transport Policy which provides the framework within which all transport system planning and operation in South Africa is to take place and is the basis of most subsequent planning documents (DoT, 1996); Moving South Africa: The Action Agenda, which is a 20-year Strategic Framework for Transport in South Africa (DoT, 1998); National Land Transport Transition Act (NLTTA) (Act No. 22, 2000) which essentially provides the measures necessary to transform and to restructure the South African land transport system. The above national legislative documents give broad guidance to provincial and local statutes and are therefore referred to throughout this report. However, the relevant statutes significant for land use and transport development in the West Coast District are as follows: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 11

18 National Land transport transition Act (Act ) - NLTTA Development Facilitation Act (Act 67 of 1995) - DFA Municipal Systems Act (Act 32 of 2000) - MSA National Land Transport Transition Act (Act 22 of 2000) Various sections of the National Land Transport Transition Act, (NLTTA) give guidance on the principles that should be adhered to in this planning process. Some of the relevant paragraphs are repeated in the ITP to illustrate this point and for ease of reference. 2. (i) The NLTTA provides the measures necessary to: (a) transform and restructure the Republic s land transport system 4. (i) Principles applied with regard to determination, formulation, development and application of land transport policy in the Republic: (a) Public transport services (i) are aimed at providing affordable transport to public (ii) designed to achieve: - integration of modes - cost-efficiency and service quality - optimal allocation and utilisation of available resources - market development (iii) designed to have: - value to customer - least harmful impact on environment - modes selected and planned for to have highest impact on reducing the total system cost of travel informed by appropriate assessment of impact on customer reaction to change - meet customers needs by facilitating customer reaction to system changes in planning process and maximising integration of services - subsidies aimed to assist currently marginalised users and those having poor access to social and economic activity (b) All role players to strive to achieve effective land transport system through integrated planning, provision and regulation of infrastructure, services and diligent, effective law enforcement Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 12

19 (e) For the purpose of land transport planning and provision of infrastructure and facilities, public transport higher priority than private transport 19. (1) Land transport planning must be integrated with the land development process, (3) (b) discourage urban sprawl where public transport services are inadequate. (3) (d) give higher priority to public transport by ensuring the provision of adequate public transport services and applying travel demand management measures to discourage private transport. (3) (f) minimise adverse impact on the environment. (6) (f) integration of transport and land use planning within the context of the Development Facilitation Act, 1995 (Act No 67 of 1995), or any other similar provincial law. 19. (3) Transport plans must be developed so as to: (a) enhance the effective functioning of cities, towns and rural areas through integrated planning of the following, within the context of IDP s & LDO s in terms of DFA, (67 of 1997) or provincial laws. Transport Infrastructure Freight movement Transport Facilities including Bulk services Transport Operations Public transport Integrated Transport Plans 27. (2) The ITP must formulate the planning authority s official vision, policy and objectives, consistent with national and provincial policies, at least: (a) specify changes from previous ITP (b) include list to - show, in order of reference, projects and project segments to be carried out in 5-year period and cost of each project. - prepared with due regard to relevant IDP s and LDO s (c) include all modes and infrastructure, include new or amended roads and land transport aspects of air parts and harbours. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 13

20 (d) detailed budget, funding sources with regard to land transport (license fees, fines, etc) (e) PTP (f) general strategy for travel demand management (g) Road and transport infrastructure - provision - improvement - maintenance strategy (h) general strategy for movements of hazardous substances section 2 (1) of Hazardous Substances Act, 1973 (Act No 15 of 1973) by road along designated routes in accordance with strategy/plan in PLTF Approval of commuter rail components of transport plans 28. substantial changes in land use and public transport infrastructure and services 29. All persons, including the State and parastatal institutions, agencies and utilities are bound by the provisions of plans (ITP s, PTP s, etc.) published under subsection (1), and (a) No substantial change or intensification of land use on any property may be undertaken without the written consent of the relevant planning authority (municipality); (b) Developments on property within a transport area are subject to traffic impact assessment and public transport assessment as prescribed by the MEC; (c) Where new or upgraded transport infrastructure or services are suggested in such a traffic impact or public transport assessment, the cost thereof must be paid as prescribed by the relevant planning authority; (d) No action may be undertaken that would have the result of substantially decreasing the quantity or availability of land transport infrastructure or services Section 29(9) also states that: Any person who undertakes a development involving a change or intensification in land use or development proposal without the approval of the planning authority is guilty of an offence. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 14

21 Development Facilitation Act (Act 67 of 1995) The Development Facilitation Act (Act 67 of 1995) was drafted to introduce extraordinary measures to facilitate and speed up the implementation of reconstruction and development programs and projects in relation to land. Chapter 4 of the Act sets out general principles for land development that will, in time, become well used in South Africa. Included among the principles, is the promotion of efficient and integrated land development by integrating the social, economic, institutional and physical aspects of land development, promoting the availability of residential and employment opportunities in close proximity to each another, discouraging urban sprawl and contributing to the development of more compact towns and cities, contributing to correction of historically distorted settlement patterns, optimisation of existing resources including roads and transportation services thereby encouraging environmentally sustainable land development practices and processes. The Development Facilitation Act is currently under review and future land use management will be achieved through enactment of the National Land Use Management Bill. The following paragraphs of the Development Facilitation Act (DFA) (Act No 67 of 1995) are relevant for transport and land development as it reflects some of the general principles on which this planning is based: (3) The DFA applies to urban and rural development and should facilitate the development of, inter alia, existing settlements. (3) (c) Policy, administrative practice and laws should promote efficient and integrated land development, in that they: (iii) promote the availability of residential and employment opportunities in close proximity to or integrated with each other; (iv) optimise the use of existing resources including bulk infrastructure, roads, transportation and social facilities; (v) promote a diverse combination of land uses (vi) discourage the phenomenon of urban sprawl in urban areas and contribute to the development of more compact towns and cities; Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 15

22 (3) (l) A competent authority at national, provincial and local government level should coordinate the interests of various sectors involved in or affected by land development so as to minimise conflicting demand on scarce resources. Municipal Systems Act (Act 32 of 2000) The Municipality Systems Act provides core principles, mechanisms and processes that are necessary to enable municipalities to become developmental institutions. Development, as defined in the Act, includes integrated social, economic, environmental, spatial, infrastructural, institutional, organisational and human resources upliftment of a community. This upliftment is aimed at improving the quality of life of its members with specific reference to the poor and other disadvantaged sections of the community. The Municipal Systems Act further identifies the nine core components of an Integrated Development Plan (IDP), among those components are requirements pertaining to a spatial developmental framework, including the provision of guidelines for a land use management system. NATIONAL POLICIES RELATING TO TRANSPORT White Paper on National Transport Policy The National Policy is contained in the White Paper on National Transport Policy, published in 1996, and outlines the following six broad goals: To support the goals of the Reconstruction and Development Program for meeting the basic needs, growing the economy, developing human resources, and democratising decision-making; To enable customer requiring transport for people and goods to access the transport system in ways that best satisfy their chosen criteria; To improve the safety, security, reliability, quality and speed of transporting goods and people; To improve South Africa s competitiveness and that of its transport infrastructure and operations through greater effectiveness and efficiency to better meet the needs of different customers groups, both locally and globally; To invest in infrastructure or transport systems in ways that satisfy social, economic or strategic investment criteria; and Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 16

23 To achieve the above objectives in a manner that is economically and environmentally sustainable and minimises negative side effects. Moving South Africa (Action Agenda) The core of the Moving South Africa (Action Agenda) comprises three key strategic actions (or objectives) that are set to meet customer needs and to lower the overall system cost. These three strategic actions (or objectives) are: Densification of transport corridors (including controls and incentives), alignment of housing and transport and co-ordination within government; Optimal deployment of modes to meet customer service requirements, i.e. to optimise economics and service mix (including low cost basic services, differentiated services and tough road space management); and Improving firm level performance (including tendering / concessioning, regulated competition, industry regulation and sustainability / investment). PROVINCIAL POLICY ON TRANSPORT Provincial White Paper on Transport The Provincial White Paper on Transport emphasises the principle that public transport must be given the highest priority, as illustrated by the following statement: Central to the intent of urban restructuring is a much expanded role for public transport through the adoption of a Public Transport First policy which gives preference to public transport over general traffic This principle appears to apply only to urban areas, but should also prevail in transport planning in the vast rural component of the Western Cape Province. Provincial Land Transport Framework (PLTF) The Provincial Land Transport Framework (PLTF) for the Western Cape serves as the basic framework for transport planning and management on a provincial and municipal level and one of its primary roles is to inform and guide the development of Integrated Transport Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 17

24 Plans (ITP s) within the context of integrated development planning at the provincial and local spheres of government. There are essentially four primary objectives to the development of the PLTF, these are: - To state provincial objectives and policies and describe the intended development of transport on a provincial-wide basis; - To ensure that planning objectives and policies are implemented at the provincial level within the national planning policies; - To assist with co-ordinating and integrating land transport planning in the province; and To serve as a basis for preparing the ITP s, and other relevant local plans. Strategic Plan: 2005/06 to 2009/10 This Strategic Plan shows the different branches within the department and the functions currently fulfilled by each. These are listed below. i) Road Infrastructure and Traffic Management Branch - GIS Transport - Gravel Road Management System - Integrated Maintenance Management system (IMMS) - Maintenance Management System - Bridge Calculation Software - Pavement Management System - Pavement Quality Management System - Road Network Information System - Trafman ii) Public Transport - Registration Administration system (RAS / TRACS) - Operating License Administration System (OLAS) iii) Programme structure for roads: iv) Roads Infrastructure Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 18

25 - Programme support - Planning - Design - Construction - Maintenance v) Public Transport - Programme support - Planning - Infrastructure - Empowerment and Institutional Management - Operator Safety and Compliance - Regulation and control vi) Traffic Management - Programme support - Safety Engineering - Transport administration and licensing - Overload control 2.5 VISION, GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR TRANSPORT IN THE WESTERN CAPE National and Provincial objectives and policies are put into effect through the lower levels of government, who ensure that these are met. It is therefore essential that the objectives of the Integrated Transport Plan echo those of the higher spheres of government. The transport system should be managed in a sustainable way to remain affordable to its users and to act as an effective support to broader economic development in the country. The transport system should be responsive to customer needs and be operated reliably, efficiently and safely in order for users to have confidence in the system as a whole and promote its usage. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 19

26 A Vision and Mission statement has been produced to guide the development of transportation in the West Coast. The process of developing it as well as similar statement of the higher order spheres of government is discussed here Provincial White Paper on Transport The Vision and Mission statements from the Provincial White Paper on Transport are: Vision An integrated, accessible, well managed and maintained transport system throughout the Western Cape, which is recognised as making efficient use of resources and being socially just, in a way that advances broader developmental aims and objectives. Mission To utilise available knowledge, skills and competence to advise and assist authorities throughout the Western Cape to realise their aims and objectives by: Promoting a unified transport culture and ethos which is characterised by excellence and professional competence and which respects and is responsive to broader needs and requirements; Ensuring that appropriate capacity and capability is established in all transport authorities so that they become fully competent to fulfill assigned transport roles and functions; Guiding and informing all transport authorities to ensure that the products of strategic planning initiatives meet declared provincial standards and requirements; and Defining minimum acceptable operational standards and requirements to which the various aspects of the transport system could conform. The mission may be summarised as: The delivery of an integrated, accessible, safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable transport system and quality infrastructure provision through socially just, developmental and empowering processes, to improve the quality of life for all. The Province is intent on transforming public transport services so that it may be: Safe Affordable Reliable Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 20

27 Accessible The overall mission is to have safe, regulated public transport system that meets the requirements of accessibility, reliability and mobility at an affordable cost and in accordance with the needs of users. The system must reduce the level of uncertainty and personal risk currently experienced by users. It must contribute to the quality of life for inhabitants, provide transport for visitors to the Western Cape and ultimately offer a viable alternative to private vehicle travel Transport Branch of the Western Cape Provincial Government The vision and mission statements of the Transport branch of the Western Cape Provincial Government is reflected in their Strategic plan as follows: VISION: Home for all MISSION: Building Social Capital Building Human Capital Enhanced Economic Participation and Growth 2.6 VISION, MISSION & GOALS FROM THE WEST COAST IDP : 2006/2007 The vision and mission statements for the West Coast are included in their Integrated Development Plan (IDP) that was completed by and for the West Coast in July VISION: A better quality of life for all. MISSION: To, through participation and cooperation, develop our region and all its people to its full potential. GOALS: A: Better quality of life for all B: Safe environment C: Stimulate regional economy D: Preservation of the environment and natural resources E: Participation of all role players 2.7 VISION, GOALS & OBJECTIVES FOR TRANSPORT IN THE WEST COAST Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 21

28 Many communities within the West Coast do not have access to any form of public transport, while many others have only access to infrequent services which come at a very high price. The vision for public transport in the West Coast is therefore to have a public transport system that is well managed, affordable and accessible to all communities in the West Coast. West Coast economy is largely dependent on industrial and agricultural activities and export of products. It therefore depends heavily on the transport system to ensure that raw materials reach its intended markets. A workshop was held on 22 April 2005, where representatives of ward committee from most wards in the West Coast attended, to discuss the transport problem according to the above theme. The vision for transport in the West Coast was formulated at this workshop to read as follows: VISION FOR TRANSPORT IN THE WEST COAST An integrated, accessible, well managed transport system throughout the West Coast, which is affordable, safe and well maintained with available resources being socially accepted in advancement of broader developmental and progressive economical aims and objectives. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 22

29 2.7.1 Proposed Goals A number of goals were identified through which it was believed, this vision would be realised. These are listed below: To provide in the basic travel needs of all individuals by being accessible to all communities; To provide the level of service that best satisfies the chosen criteria of each community so that public transport would become a mode of choice; To provide acceptable standards for safety, security, reliability, quality and speed; To invest in infrastructure and transport systems in ways that meets the demand of the travelling public as well as satisfy the region s social, economic or strategic investment criteria; and To be economically and environmentally sustainable, encourages constructive competition and minimises negative side effects. To use spending on infrastructure projects as a tool to uplift and empower local entrepreneurs Proposed Objectives The following short-term objectives should be reached to ensure a transport system that provides mobility and universal access within the next five (5) years. Maintain existing transport infrastructure to a high standard and prioritise the provision of infrastructure where this is needed to stimulate the introduction of new services and economic development; To issue operating licences to all areas where no regular public transport service exist; To achieve constructive public transport planning by continually involving all stakeholders; To assist and empower the minibus taxi industry to optimise their operations in terms of maximising coverage and minimising overall cost; To effectively combine vehicles and modes to eliminate wasteful competition while maintaining the prevailing levels of service; Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 23

30 To establish a public transport corridor along the N7 that would provide a reliable, high frequency service at a low operating cost to serve the demand along this route; To ensure that acceptable safety standards are agreed upon and adhered to for each mode on each type of service. Optimise rail system in order to maximise its utilisation for freight movement that does not have to be on the road; and Ensure that road network meet the needs of agriculture demand to effectively distribute fresh produce. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 24

31 3. LAND TRANSPORT STATUS QUO 3.1 ROAD NETWORK Introduction This chapter describes the extent and condition of the road network in the West Coast. The road network is categorised in terms of the responsible authorities. These are currently the Road Infrastructure Branch of the Western Cape Provincial Government and the Local streets that are managed by the respective B-Municipalities. This chapter gives an overview of the size and condition of the current road network. Aspects involved include: - Road network planning for urban and rural roads - Road maintenance, which include: i) Pavement management system ii) Routine road maintenance - Traffic counts are done on an annual basis throughout the region. This information is available on a website maintained by the Roads Infrastructure branch on - Accident Statistics will be discussed in Chapter 8 of this, Part B of the report. - Road Safety audits The provincial government is the primary custodian of the rural road network in the West Coast, while the B-Municipalities are responsible for urban roads. There are currently no roads that are under the jurisdiction of the SA National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) Road Classification The road network is divided primarily between rural and urban roads. Rural roads are further divided in terms of the following classes: National Roads; Trunk Roads; Main Roads; Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 25

32 Divisional Roads; Municipal Main Roads Minor Roads. Urban Streets are classified in terms of the Department of Housing s Guidelines for Urban Settlements as: Arterials: Higher or Lower order; Distributors: Major or Minor Local Residential Street; Access Ways. There is a move away from the hierarchical movement function of roads that gradually changes its mobility and access functions. The tendency is towards defining a set of mobility roads where access to individual properties is restricted, and access roads, where high speeds and large volumes of traffic are restricted. These are the lower order roads on which pedestrian and cycles trips are encouraged. Table 3.1 shows the different authority types that are identified on the provincial Road Network Information System (RNIS) website, together with the seat(s) from which each authority operates. The significance of each of these authorities will be discussed during the description of the different functions. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 26

33 Table 3.1: Authority types and location Authority Type Regional Offices; District Municipalities; Local Municipalities; Maintenance Authorities; Traffic Authorities; Magistrate Authorities. Town seated in Paarl West Coast District Municipality Swartland Saldanha Bay Berg River Cederberg Matzikama District Municipal Area West Coast District Municipality Vredenburg Vredendal Clanwilliam Hopefield Moorreesburg Piketberg Van Rhynsdorp Vredenburg Vredendal Rural Roads i) Extent Tables 3.2 and 3.3 shows the extent of the rural road network in the West Coast, as well as the condition of these roads in Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 27

34 Table 3.2: Surfacing Status of Road Classes Class of Road Km Surfaced Km un-surfaced Total Trunk Road Main Road Divisional Road Minor Road N.A. N.A. N.A. Table 3.3: Condition of Roads Network Condition of Surfaced Roads Class of Road Trunk Main Divisional Total Very Good km 0 km 9.43 km km Good km km km km Fair km km km km Poor km km km km Very Bad km km km km Condition of Gravel Roads Class of Road Trunk Main Divisional Total Very Good 0 km km 0.06 km km Good 0 km km km km Fair 0 km km km km Poor 0 km km km km Very Bad 0 km km km km ii) Resources The Provincial Department of Roads and Transport is the Road Authority of all the proclaimed rural roads. The Roads Department of the West Coast District Municipality is the agent of the Provincial Department responsible for the construction, upgrading and maintenance of the road network. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 28

35 The WCDM has one construction unit that does upgrades and general maintenance work. All other work is given out on tender and is performed on a contract basis. iii) Prioritisation of Projects The Provincial Roads Department, through the WCDM who is their agent, uses a prioritisation model to list and prioritise the road sections that needs to be upgraded or maintained. This model takes into account both technical and socio-economic conditions of the area served by the road. The factors included in the model are: - Traffic demand - Condition of road - Public transport use - Economic development potential iv) Upgrade of Gravel Roads Gravel roads are upgraded when the thickness of the wearing course reaches a critical low level. Material is sourced from borrow pits as close to the upgraded road as possible in order to minimise the need to haul material, which can be a significant cost component of the total cost. A critical shortage of natural sources of material for the construction of gravel roads in the West Coast makes this ever more difficult to obtain. A strategic decision was taken by the PGWC to apply a light surfacing seal to the gravel roads in the West Coast in order to prevent the loss of material. This process results in Main and Divisional Roads with the geometric design of low speed gravel roads, with the appearance of higher speed surfaced roads. The lay person can typically not discriminate between a surfaced road and a gravel road with a light seal. The result of this, as well as the better riding quality that is achieved, have certain possible implications that should be considered in the future extension of this approach. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 29

36 - Firstly, drivers are likely to perceive the sealed surface to be safer than the gravel surface. This encourages drivers to drive at speeds that are higher than the safe design speed of the gravel road, which could compromise the safety of the road. - Pedestrians prefer walking on the sealed road as opposed to the sides of the roads that are typically of a poorer surface standard. More potential vehicle pedestrian conflict is created. - The improved riding quality has been shown to attract much more traffic to the same road. The increased traffic volumes result in the design loading of the road being reached in a much shorter time. The road Infrastructure branch of the Department of Roads and Public works maintains the rural road network by means of term contracts for routine road maintenance on trunk roads. The running cost of a vehicle increases more than five fold when travelling on gravel roads, and even more when the gravel roads are in a poor condition. The higher running cost consists of higher fuel consumption, higher maintenance costs and shorter vehicle life. On top of this, the average travel speeds on gravel roads are lower, so that the travel time is higher. Trying to maintain higher travel speeds leads to a reduction in the safety of passengers. The above factors make it highly unattractive to public transport operators to provide services to these communities only accessible by gravel roads. When trips are made on these roads, it usually cost passengers excessive amounts in fares. Fares are also high as these trips are usually chartered and are made in an environment that has no competition. Surfaced roads eliminate all the negative factors described above, and create the type of environment where competition would stimulate increased travel, which could lead to economic development. When surfacing gravel roads it is critical to improve the geometric characteristics of the road so that it can safely accommodate the higher travel speed associated with driving on a surfaced road. v) Maintenance The majority of maintenance on gravel roads, which consist mainly of the regular blading of roads, is done by the WCDM s road construction unit. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 30

37 The maintenance of surfaced roads has always been done by their departmental construction unit. In recent years, a system of Routine Road Maintenance (RRM) contracts has been put in place. This involves a consultant and contractor who are jointly responsible for the maintenance of selected sections of road. Such these tenders typically run for periods of three (3) years at a time. It is the intention of the province to increase this type of process for maintenance Urban roads The urban road network is the responsibility of the local B-municipality. Maintenance and the upgrade of roads are typically done by municipal construction units. V & V Consulting Engineers has developed a pavement management system that is utilised by all the B-Municipalities and in all the towns in the West Coast. The system is run by V & V Consulting Engineers and is generally updated on an annual basis. The computer program used by this system is the IMQS (Infrastructure Management Query Station). B-Municipalities usually budget for roads on an annual basis. There were reports from some municipalities that projects are changed on short notice before implementation. This has several negative implications, among which are: Design and procurement phases of the initial projects have sometimes reached advanced stages, which are then aborted as significant costs; New designs and procurement processes has to be done in short time, that could lead to poorer quality; Communities are disappointed when expectations that are created are not fulfilled; It illustrates the lack of proper working of the principles of the IDP process, where the list of priorities are supposedly determined by and owned by the communities. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 31

38 3.2 RAIL NETWORK Introduction The rail network plays an extremely important role in the land transport system. It has been and still is much neglected and fulfils only a very small part of the role it once fulfilled when road freight traffic was regulated. While there is an extensive rail network throughout the West Coast, the services operated on it are few and far apart. Information about existing services is not freely available Rail Network i) Metrorail Services A passenger service that was operated between Cape Town and Bitterfontein in the DMA, has been terminated in the late nineties. This railway line, which runs approximately parallel to the N7, is still utilised for freight services. A road-based mode would best serve the current low demand for travel along this corridor. Such a service is presented as a transport proposal in Chapter 6 of this report. A commuter rail service is operated between the Malmesbury and Cape Town stations once a day in each direction. Buses also serve this route and it appears that the two subsidised services compete for the same passengers. Minibus taxis that operate between the same origin and destination do so between the commuter peaks, when no rail or bus services exist. ii) Spoornet The Spoornet line runs from out of Bellville to Kalbaskraal where it splits into two legs. The first goes west from here towards the Saldanha harbour area. The second leg continues in a northern direction up to Bitterfontein where is terminates in a loop where trains can turn around in the forward direction. Figure 3.1 shows the extent of the railway lines running through the West Coast and the stations along it. Not all stations are currently active. Spoornet was not able to provide details of the volumes of freight carried on these lines, or of the frequencies at which certain services are delivered. It was observed that heavy Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 32

39 freight that appears suitable for rail transport is conveyed by road from the Cape Town harbour. Some of the known users of the rail system are: Saldanha Steel; Namaqua Sands; iii) Orex Line This railway line was specifically built in the 1980 s to enable the export of iron ore from Sishen at the Saldanha Harbour. The line carries iron ore on a daily basis. Another user of the line is Namaqua Sands that transport sands mined at Hondeklipbaai, close to Vredendal, to Saldanha and then to the harbour via road base transport. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 33

40 Figure 3.1: Railway Lines Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 34

41 3.3 PUBLIC TRANSPORT Introduction Public Transport is critical to the quality of life in the West Coast as it provides a significant proportion of this community with access to employment, education, basic services and recreational opportunities. Compared to urban communities, non-urban communities: Have fewer employment opportunities; Are less wealthy; Are generally less mobile and have fewer mobility needs; Have a much lower concentration of public transport activities. For this reason, transport in urban areas is extensive and requiring large capital outlay, putting an emphasis on long term planning. In non-urban areas, public transport planning needs are generally on an ad-hoc basis with an emphasis on identifying critical deficiencies in the system as they arise. A further difference is the extent of co-ordination between transport areas required from higher authorities. In the urban situation, such co-ordination needs to be extensive to achieve integrated transportation. In the non-urban setting, co-ordination of a lesser extent is essential to ensure continuity in roads, standardisation in regulation, control and law enforcement procedures, etc. Public transport services must be affordable to the public and responsive to customer needs. They must be designed to: Achieve service quality, Use the most cost-effective mode, Be safe and Be least harmful to the environment. The Current Public Transport Record for the West Coast provides an insight into the personal travel needs of a large portion of the community. It found the main types of services to be: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 35

42 Commuter Feeder Inter-town Long distance Cross-border All these services are not scheduled and appear to lack proper co-ordination even at the best of times. The system, as it is, favours the operator rather than the commuter and the proposed Public Transport Plan will attempt to correct this while the Integrated Transport Plan will ensure the implementation of the proposed intervention methods. Most of the existing infrastructure and facilities are inadequate to accommodate public transport and they do not really benefit the very ones they need to serve. Interviews and consultations with the various transport authorities as well as the general public has led us to conclude that the lack of communication between public transport authorities, operators and the general public is a major stumbling block in the effective implementation of public transport projects. The Public Transport component of the status quo report is as reflected in the Draft Public Transport Plan (PTP) of the West Coast that was completed in July Public Transport planning - PT branch in Province POLB for licenses Minibus taxi council and associations The CPTR provides information on routes, vehicles and passenger flows, as well as operational characteristics of the current public transport system. The analysis of the information of the CPTR forms the basis for the strategy to be implemented to ensure that the public transport system envisioned by the Public Transport Plan is realised. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 36

43 3.3.2 Routes i) Minibus Taxi and Bus Routes Table shows the number of routes that are operated on within a municipal area, between two local B-municipalities, and between the West Coast and another area. The locations of these routes are shown in Figure 3.2. The majority of routes have an origin in a residential area and a destination at a rank, with a number of boarding points en route. Routes that cross the border of a B-municipality usually operate between a local (origin) rank, and a specified destination rank. Table 3.3.1: Total number of routes operated in each district Number of Routes Municipality Minibus Taxi/ Sedan Routes Bus Routes Berg River Cederberg 8 0 Matzikama 8 2 Saldanha Bay 18 4 Swartland 30 2 Between A and B municipalities 12 6 Between B municipalities 9 8 TOTAL Almost 50% of the routes are located in the Swartland and Saldanha Bay municipalities; A disproportional high number of bus routes have been recorded in the Berg River municipality. Many of the buses on these routes do not operate according to a schedule, but provide a service similar to that of minibus taxis; No routes were recorded in the District Municipal Area (DMA); The bus routes are not unique, but operate according to different criteria, such as schedules and per contract. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 37

44 3.3.3 Transport Service Capacity Table shows the number of vehicles providing transport services that were identified during the survey period. It is critical to note that virtually all vehicles perform a para-transit type service. This service is demand responsive as opposed to scheduled, and is usually associated with the operation of the minibus taxi industry. The service can therefore be classified as a para-transit service. Table shows the portion of these vehicles that were recorded to be illegal by virtue of their registration number not appearing on the database of the Provincial Operating Licence Board. Table 3.3.2: Unique Service vehicles in the West Coast Unscheduled Capacity** B Municipality Scheduled Bus Minibus Taxis % Bus % Sedan and Venture % Veh Seats Veh Seats Veh Seats* Veh Seats Berg River Cederberg Matzikama Saldanha Bay Swartland TOTAL % of Vehicles % of Seats * Buses assumed to have an average of 40 seats ** Paratransyt Typically Minibus Taxi Services i) Scheduled Bus Services The only recorded services operate from out of Saldanha and Malmesbury by two private bus companies. Elwierda Toere operates a daily service from and to Saldanha and Golden Arrow operates daily services from and to Malmesbury. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 38

45 (Figure 3.2: WC3 from CPTR showing PT Facilities) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 39

46 Table 3.3.3: Illegal vehicles Mode Legal and Illegal Vehicles % Illegal Total Vehicles Illegal Vehicles Vehicles Minibus Taxi % Bus 98 Sedan/ Venture % Total % ii) Paratransit Services Para transit services differ from typical bus, or transit, services mainly in that it does not operate according to a fixed schedule or along the same route. Paratransit typically varies its routes and schedules according to passenger demand. Virtually all the public transport services in the West Coast, regardless of vehicle type, operate in this manner. The different vehicle types are characterised by the following: Minibus Taxis This type of vehicle account for almost 70% of all vehicles, but for less than 50% of the available public transport seats; 67% of the minibus taxis operate in the two southern municipalities of Swartland and Saldanha Bay; Buses Buses make up about 24% of the passenger transport vehicles, but provide for almost 50% of the available seats; 57% of the buses operate in the two southern municipalities of Swartland and Saldanha Bay. In Vredendal, small buses operate as minibus taxis and not as scheduled bus services; Buses fulfil an important role in transporting daily commuters from Malmesbury to Cape Town. These buses travel either along the N7, or via Atlantis along Otto du Plessis Road; 41% of bus routes move across the border of the West Coast Area. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 40

47 (Figure 3.3: WC5 from CPTR showing Minibus Taxi Routes) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 41

48 3.4 PASSENGER FLOWS Passengers volumes counted at the major ranks are shown in Table These volumes exclude passengers that boarded and alighted at informal ranks or along the various routes. Unlike in urban areas, fewer trips were recorded during the Friday morning peak hour. The main reason for this was found to be that many commuters are collected at or near their homes and dropped at or near their places of work. Table : Number of Passengers per Type of Vehicle for Friday Daily Number of Passengers Carried (Friday) Mode AM Peak (%) Off Peak (%) PM Peak (%) Total (%) Minibus Taxi (49.8) 711 (61.9) (54.8) (54.1) Bus (49.1) 404 (35.2) (40.5) (42.7) Sedan/ Venture 32 (1.1) 33 (2.9) 201 (4.7) 266 (3.2) Total Portion of Daily 34.1% 14.0% 51.9% About 54%, or 4 439, of the passengers were carried by the 280 minibus taxis that have about 48% of the available seats. Each vehicle carries about 16 passengers per day; About 43%, 3 505, of the passengers were carried by the 98 buses that have around 47% of the available seats. Each vehicle carried about 36 passengers per day. The 33 sedan and venture type minibus taxis, with almost 3% of the available seats, carried the remaining 3%, or 266, passengers. Each of these vehicles carried about 8 passengers per day. Minibus taxis carry slightly more passengers than their proportion of available seats, while buses carry a smaller share. It could be interpreted that minibus taxis provide a better service for the prevailing conditions than do buses. Passenger volumes on a Friday are not typical of other weekdays either, as many people leave the West Coast towns on a Friday afternoon for destinations such as Cape Town. Friday afternoons also have a higher number of shopping trips than other weekdays. Many people, who would usually walk make use of minibus taxis when they have additional baggage such as shopping bags. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 42

49 Table shows that about 20% of passengers travelling on a Friday were carried by illegal vehicles. The number of illegal sedans is significantly higher on a Saturday, albeit on a low volume. As the majority of illegal vehicles do not operate through the ranks, the actual number of passengers carried by them has not been recorded. Table 3.4.2: Passengers carried by Illegal vehicles Mode Total number of daily passengers carried by illegal vehicles Friday Saturday Minibus Taxi Bus - - Sedan/ Venture 4 31 Total OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Ranks and Routes The 8 busiest ranks were included in the surveys and are listed in Table B6.6. For each of these ranks the table shows the number of minibus taxi routes that were operated on, as well as the number and proportion of passengers at each during the survey period. The 8 major ranks serve 45 of the 101 routes in the district. There are 15 major minibus taxi routes in the West Coast area. Major routes were defined as carrying more than a total of 45 passengers during the Saturday peak hour. The locations of these routes are shown in Figure Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 43

50 Table 3.5.1: Operational Characteristics at Major Ranks Area Rank Routes Friday* % of Total Saturday* % of Total Berg River Piketberg % % Porterville % % Cederberg Clanwilliam % % Matzikama Vredendal % % Saldanha Bay Vredenburg % % Saldanha 2** % % Swartland Malmesbury % % Moorreesbu rg 1.1% 2.7% TOTAL % % * Total number of passengers through rank: In- and Outbound **Route between Saldanha and Vredenburg included with Vredenburg Rank The following information is pertinent to evaluate the information in the table: The 45 routes listed in Table were observed during the time of the Friday and Saturday surveys. Not all the routes were operated on, on either of these days. A number of routes were identified during interviews that did not operate through the ranks on the days of the surveys. Swartland and Saldanha Bay Municipalities account for 55% of all routes. 69% of weekday trips, but only 57% of Saturday trips, occur on these routes. The ratio of Saturday to weekday trips is therefore much higher in the northern rural areas. The majority of rural routes are generally only operated on Friday afternoons and Saturdays, while few routes operate on Sundays. Long Distance routes were identified that mainly transported passengers to and from Cape Town, operating from the ranks listed in Table One long distance route has its origin and destination outside of the West Coast area, operating between the Northern Cape and Cape Town. This route mainly follows the N7, except where it deviates to Vredendal, at Klawer. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 44

51 3.5.2 Fares Integrated Transport Plan for the West Coast Draft 03/02/2012 Table shows the lengths, fares and travel rate per kilometre for the 15 major routes in the West Coast area. There is a minimum fare of R2.00 per trip and the total cost per km is less than R0.90 per km for all trips longer than 3.5km. It is noted that the fare for local trips around Moorreesburg is relatively low. Table 3.5.2: Fares on Major Routes Area Route Description Route Distance Fare Number (km) (R) R / km Piketberg Goedverwacht WCB R Bergrivier Piketberg Wittewater WCB R Piketberg Bo Berg WCB R Porterville Saron WCB R Cederberg Clanwilliam Local WCC R Clanwilliam Cape Town WCC R Matzikama Vredendal V dal North WCM R Vredenburg Louwville WCS R Saldanha Vredenburg WCS R Saldanha Bay Vredenburg Laingville WCS R Vredenburg Laaiplek WCS R Vredenburg Paternoster WCS R Saldanha Diazville WCS R Swartland Moorreesburg Local WCW R Malmesbury Ilingelethu WCW R Average Rate (R/km) 0.54 Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 45

52 (Figure 3.5.1: Major Routes Map by Cobus) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 46

53 Figure shows the fares that are charged on different routes in relation to the length of the trips. It also shows the regression line of the kilometre rate to travel. Relatively large deviations from the mean occur over shorter distances. For distances over 20 km the rate per kilometre begins to conform to the norm. An envelope, the size of the standard deviation is shown in Figure This shows that the deviation from the norm is greatest for very short distances (<5 km). The average fares for all routes are closely related to distance. The cost per kilometre that is charged in the West Coast is inversely proportional to the distance of the trip, i.e. it becomes relatively cheaper the longer the trip is. The cost per kilometre range from a high of R 1,14 per kilometre for a trip under 4km, to a low of R 0,35/km for a trip of more than 200 km. The cost per kilometre are averages over the whole district and do not take into account local variations. Factors that would influence the rate on any route would include the passenger volumes or demand, condition of roads and frequency of demand. Figure 3.5.2: Variation in Fares over Distance Variation in Fare over Distance (R/km) Fare (R/km) Route length (km in one direction) Rate/km Regression line (Fare/km) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 47

54 3.5.3 Contract Services Contract services are most common in the Saldanha Bay area, serving mainly shift workers of the local industries. These services are mainly provided by operators that have no involvement with the minibus taxi association. Many such licences are obtained for services that could have been delivered by existing licence holders. A specific form of contracted services that are more widely spread throughout the West Coast area is that of transporting learners Positive Attributes of Current Long Distance Services There are advantages to both the operators and passengers making use of the current long distance services into Cape Town. These have been identified below: - Passengers know the driver and vehicle they travel with. They are familiar with the procedure of booking a seat for a trip and trips can usually be scheduled to meet the timing requirements of the passengers; - The drivers often take passengers close to their destinations when these are not near one of the major ranks. Passengers can also arrange to be picked up at the same point for the return trip; - Passengers know when and how the driver will leave and also that the driver would not leave without them; - Operators will only make the trip when enough seats are sold, thereby eliminating the risk of running at a loss. They are also able to operate more than one trip a day if the demand exists Constraints of Current Long Distance Services The following constraints exist with the current long distance services, especially trips to Cape Town from a large number of towns in the West Coast: - The positive attributes described above come with a price that is unattainable for a large portion of the West Coast community. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 48

55 - However, because the vehicles do not travel according to a fixed schedule, each person has to arrange each trip on an ad hoc basis. - Trips are made from various towns on different days of the week. A person in a particular town may, however, not be able to make a trip to Cape Town on a particular day of the week, despite the fact that many trips are made between the West Coast and Cape Town on that day. - The majority of vehicles arriving in Cape Town make use of the central ranks in either the Cape Town CBD or Bellville. All the West Coast vehicles have to compete with the local minibus taxis for rank space, which, in the past, has created conflict with local Cape Town operators. - For trips with a low demand, e.g. to a town other than the major commercial hubs, it is often difficult to find a public transport service. Passengers have to pay for the entire trip, effectively chartering the vehicle, if no other passengers need to make that trip. It is proposed that the formation of public transport corridors with scheduled services would reduce the constraints of current long distance services, while providing a similar level of service to that of the present system. There may, however, be an increase in the operating cost of such a system. An analysis will need to be performed to test the affordability, as well as whether the potential benefit would justify such a cost Minibus taxi Associations The Minibus taxi Industry in the Western Cape Province is governed as follows: - 1 Provincial Taxi Council - 18 Regional Taxi Structures - 12 in the Metropolitan Area - 1 in each of the 6 District Municipalities Minibus taxi Associations, of which 5 are registered in the West Coast. The minibus taxi industry is regulated in terms of the National Land Transport Transition Act, and is regulated by: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 49

56 i) Provincial Operating Licence Board (POLB) ii) Registrar for Minibus Taxis FACILITIES Introduction This chapter describes the existing and planning of facilities in the West Coast region. Facilities are defined as transfer points for public transport passengers as well as infrastructure used in the management and control of road traffic. It includes formal and informal ranks and boarding points that are mainly used by the minibus taxi industry, weighbridges and pounds Public Transport Infrastructure There are 12 formal and informal public transport ranks in the West Coast, and around 20 formalised boarding points, as shown in Figure Due to the low number of vehicles in the area, there is no need for holding areas in addition to the existing facilities. i) Ranks The majority of the ranks are off-street facilities, designed for minibus taxi operations, with lanes demarcated per destination and with shelters for passengers. There are some informal ranks, which are functionally defined as the location at which the minibus taxi operations are concentrated. The ranks are either central to a residential area from where commuter and shopping trips originate, or central to the business area from where homebound trips originate. Ranks in the business areas show the highest levels of activity during the day. Long distance and inter-municipal trips usually depart from these ranks. ii) Boarding points The majority of boarding points are on-street facilities with a shelter for passengers. These are used mostly for boarding as passengers are generally dropped near their homes. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 50

57 iii) Infrastructure requirements In certain towns the issuing of operating licences has been hampered by the absence of formal facilities. In other areas the local operations are such that a larger number of smaller facilities, or boarding points, are preferred to a single centralised rank. The need for additional facilities is high, but careful planning is important to provide appropriate facilities where these are required Pounds There are currently no pounds in the West Coast. undertaken see Annexure C. Planning for pounds is currently Weighbridges Two weighbridges are currently operated in the West Coast, one at Moorreesburg and another south of Klawer. Both are independently operated by private companies. There has been a notable reduction in the number of vehicles that are overloaded by more than 5% over the legal limit of 80kN per axle. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 51

58 Figure Public Transport Facilities Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 52

59 3.7 FREIGHT TRANSPORT Introduction The freight movement cycle is summarised as follows: Major output is generated from agricultural and mining operations with relatively little input; Raw materials serve as input into the manufacturing or production process; Output of primary production flows to smaller production or processing plants; Output from processing plants is typically shipped to wholesale; Wholesale products are distributed to retail; Final distribution is from retail to consumers. Freight moves from origin to destination or through an area. The West Coast has major generators and attractors of freight, but the N7 that runs through the West Coast means that high volumes of freight also moves through this jurisdictional area. This chapter describes the extent to which information about freight movement has been obtained Freight Generators i) Harbours The ITP is concerned with land transport and not with the movement of freight when it leaves the shore. Harbours are, however, strong generators of freight, as all goods are transported on land on its way to and from the harbour. There are very limited passenger transport services from South African harbours. A major harbour is located at Saldanha. A major function of this harbour is the export of iron ore from Sishen. Other harbours are located at Lamberts Bay, Elands Bay, Velddrif, St Helena and Doornfontein. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 53

60 ii) Mining, Agriculture, Manufacturing List of major producers in West Coast, sectors include: Mining, Agriculture, Industrial, Processing, e.g.: Granite from Vrede & Marlin; Agriculture; Maskam Mine (BPB Gypsum Vredendal); Cape Lime Klawer; PPC Cement at de Hoop and Riebeeck Wes; Namaqua Sands Mining in the DMA; Wine production in Vredendal; Industrial activities in Saldanha Bay (Saldanha Steel, Namaqua Sands, Defurco); Bokomo in Malmesbury; Rooibos in Clanwilliam; VDM Transport of coal; Moorreesburg Mining Airfields There are no commercial airports within the West Coast District. The only airfields are Municipal, Private and Military related. Air transport to the West Coast Region is via Cape Town International or private planes utilising the municipal airfields listed in Table 3.7. There appears to be demand for commercially operated air fields, but this is currently not financially viable. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 54

61 Table 3.7: Air fields in the West Coast Airport Municipality Licensed Owner Runway Type Malmesbury Swartland No Municipality Tar Somersveld Swartland No Military Tar Boland Lugspry Swartland Yes Private Tar Langebaanweg Saldanha Bay No Military Tar Saldanha/Vredenburg Saldanha Bay Yes Municipality Tar Tooth Rock Saldanha Bay No Military Tar Porterville Bergrivier No Private Gravel Citrusdal Cederberg Yes Private Gravel Clanwilliam Cederberg No Private Gravel Lambertsbaai Cederberg No Private Gravel Vanrhynsdorp Matzikama No Municipality Gravel Vredendal Matzikama Yes Municipality Tar Airfields in the context of this report are treated as a special type of destination mainly for person trips via private vehicles. The only significance these may have is that it would be the likely positions of future commercial passenger or freight airports INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES Introduction This section refers to the system necessary to plan, manage and control both the supply and demand sides of the transport system. It includes a description of the relevant organisational structures of the authorities, law enforcement agencies, traffic safety and incident management functions Organisational Structure i) Provincial Government Western Cape Department of Roads and Public Works ROADS PUBLIC WORKS - Road Infrastructure - Public Transport Facilities - Public Transport - Road Planning - District Roads Engineer: Ceres Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 55

62 ii) West Coast District Municipality Engineering Services - Roads and Stormwater - Technical Contract Administration - Municipal Airfields Electro technical Services - Street Lighting - Traffic Signals Public Protection Services - Traffic Services; including: Vehicle road fitness, Traffic signs and markings, Speed, Parking, Drivers licences, National traffic Information system (NATIS), Road freight permits - Traffic Law Enforcement: Vehicle registration, Vehicle Licences, Local minibus taxi Operating Licences. Health Services - Cleaning of streets - Air pollution Administration - Marketing of Tourism - Town/Urban Planning - Land Use Planning - Property, building and facilities Finance - Budgeting The District Municipality has set up a Steering Committee for Public Transport. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 56

63 3.8.3 Transport Planning Transport planning is currently not being done in an integrated way, hence the need for an Integrated Transport Plan. The separate planning initiatives are described below: Planning for the rural road network is done by the Roads Infrastructure Branch for the whole province. Specific needs are communicated by the Roads Department of the West Coast Municipality as no specific planning function resides in the WCDM. Planning for transportation related issues on a local level are done by the respective B-Municipalities. These functions reside with different posts within each municipality, but usually consists of the Directorates: Engineering Services, Public Protection and Spatial Planning Law Enforcement i) Introduction The institutional capacity plays a vital role in the success of any municipality s smooth running of Public Transport. In the West Coast however, there is a lack of this capacity. The ideal situation would be for each municipality to have a dedicated individual, who has in-depth knowledge of public transport issues and policies to deal with public transport. In the absence of one such individual, these duties have become the responsibility of the law enforcement officers primarily and some available technical staff in the form of engineers in the roads branch. The current situation therefore leads to the conclusion that public transport is not serviced, as it should be in these areas. During our visits to the various municipalities, the same sentiment was echoed; manpower is a paramount problem. This is a major issue especially when the reason for not meeting the set targets is that the available staff is attending to crime-related issues. In short, they are covering duties that should be performed by the South African Police Services (SAPS). Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 57

64 ii) Municipal Enforcement Malmesbury It would appear that this is the better-equipped municipality in terms of manpower, although they are also under-staffed. They have municipal police who are visible on the streets and it would appear that they are coping well. Their staff structure is as follows: Operational Head whose duties include: Planning all joint operations with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Planning of road blocks and Supervision of sergeants Sergeants whose duties include: Planning of constables duties for the week Supervision of constables and General law enforcement Constables whose duties include: General traffic law enforcement and Crime prevention Senior law enforcement officer & 1 enforcement officer whose duties include: Enforcement of municipal by laws Moorreesburg Moorreesburg is a small town and may not require as much manpower as Malmesbury, but their needs would also have to be met for smooth operations. Currently they have 4 officers and they too appear to be burdened with other issues and public transport falls by the way side. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 58

65 3.8.5 Traffic Safety i) Introduction In mid 1950 s nearly annual fatalities occurred on the roads of South Africa. This has risen to about in recent years. The vast increase in vehicles and distance travelled has contributed to sharp rise in road traffic accidents. This ever-increasing number of fatalities and injuries has resulted in various authorities and organisation striving to improve safety on the roads of South Africa. It would be necessary to thoroughly investigate the causes of accidents before proposals can be made to help decrease the number of accidents on our roads. Causes of accidents in the West Coast are listed and discussed in this section together with remedial measures to help reduce the occurrence. Accidents on our roads not only cause loss of life, but bear a huge cost on the economy in general. It is the responsibility of every motorist to be cautious on the road and be supportive to the Arrive Alive Campaign. ii) Accident Statistics Accident statistics analysed in this section was obtained from Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC), Accident Data Centre. PGWC Accident Data Centre receives the accident details through their couriers travelling to the West Coast once every month to obtain the Accident Report (AR) forms, formerly known as the Officer s Accident Report (OAR) Form. The OAR form was superseded by AR Form in July 2003 due to the following reasons:- to reduce the number of pages to be filled in (the OAR Form was an A5 size with 16 pages and the AR Form is an A4 size with 4 pages) the A4 size was understood would be easy to scan, which would substitute the capturing process. The AR Form is completed by Police Officers present at the scene of an accident. Once the ADC receives the forms, experienced personnel verify the information on the forms. The information is then captured by data capturers onto the TRAFMAN system. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 59

66 The Accident Data Centre, over the past six years has experienced lot of problems regarding the filling in of forms. These problems include:- certain station commanders in the West Coast refusing to complete the Accident Report Form, declaring that it is not part of their job and hence not encouraging his personnel to do so; police officer s omitting vital information on the forms; police officers filling in the forms incorrectly; police officers filling in English forms in Afrikaans and/or filling in the forms in both English and Afrikaans; police officers sketching one thing and say another thing in the statement (contradict themselves); police officers giving forms to data capturer too late, police officers holding on to forms. Due to the problems created regarding the filling out of forms, given to the Accident Data Centre, the information needs to be verified before it can be captured. This results in more work being created. The shortage of staff and another problems identified was that the forms do not accommodate all types of accidents, which results in police officers sometimes capturing incorrect information. Among other things, problems identified above cause delays to the whole process of getting the accident statistics available and lead to frustration at the Accident Data Centre. The following is proposed in an attempt to alleviate the problems:- Police officers should be trained on how to properly fill in the forms, this will shorten the verification process; There should be a standing instruction that all police officers should fill in the form as part of their job description; As the predominant language in the West Coast is Afrikaans, however, it may be more efficient to use a data capturer who can translate Afrikaans forms into the system in English; AR Forms should be updated to accommodate all types of accidents; and Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 60

67 Police officers should hand over the forms to Accident Data Centre immediately after they have been filled in. Accident statistics was supplied by the Accident Data Centre for the period 1999 to 2004 and was analysed according to the following sections: iii) Accident Types Table shows different types of accidents occurred in the West Coast during the period of 1999 to There were only 4 types of accidents that could be identified. Single vehicle accidents seem to be the most common type of an accident as compared to pedestrian and animal accidents, which seem to be the least common type of an accident. Almost 1 in 5 accidents could not be classified. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 61

68 Table 3.8.1: Accident Types in West Coast between 1999 and 2004 ACCIDENT TYPE NUMBER PROPORTION Single vehicle accidents % Single vehicle overturned % Reversing % Accident with Fixed Object % Accident with Parked Vehicle % Accident with Train % Multi-vehicle accidents % Head/Rear End % Sideswipe - opposite direction % Sideswipe - same direction % Head-On % Approach at angle both travel straight % Approach at angle one or both turning % Turn Right in Face of Oncoming Traffic % Turn Right from Wrong Lane % Turn Left from Wrong Lane % Pedestrian and Animal accidents % Accident with Animal % Accident with Pedestrian % Other/Unknown % Other % Unknown % Total % iv) Accidents per Location Table shows the number of accidents that occurred in and around the different town in the West Coast. The first 10 towns represent urban accidents that occurred in that town. The last 2 represent rural accidents that occurred as reported by the two offices of the Traffic Authority in the West Coast. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 62

69 Table 3.8.2: Location of Accidents Town Total Accidents Citrusdal 156 Clanwilliam 215 Hopefield 105 Langebaan 576 Moorreesburg 361 Pietburg 109 Porterville 105 Veldrift 294 Vredenburg Vredendal Municipality 752 Vredenburg (PAWC) Vredendal (PAWC) Total There is a difference of 312 accidents between Tables B9.1 and B9.2, which is ascribed to insufficient information supplied in the AR Form. v) Accident by time of day Table shows the hourly breakdown of accidents. Most of these accidents occur between 06:00 and 21:00. Figure 3.8 clearly illustrates the majority of accidents occur during the daylight hours. There is a strong correlation between traffic volume and number of accidents. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 63

70 Table 3.8.3: Hourly Breakdown of Accidents TOTAL WEST COAST ACCIDENTS Time Acc No. % of Accident 1: % 2: % 3: % 4: % 5: % 6: % 2.39% 7: % 6.52% 8: % 9.83% 9: % 13.70% 10: % 19.22% 11: % 25.47% 12: % 31.04% 13: % 36.39% 14: % 41.69% 15: % 47.18% 16: % 53.88% 17: % 60.54% 18: % 66.62% 19: % 72.34% 20: % 77.51% 21: % 22: % 23: % 0: % Total % Figure 3.8: Variation of Accidents per Time of Day Average % of Accidents per day 8.0% 7.0% 6.0% 5.0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 0:00 % of Accidents Average Poly. (Average) Time Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 64

71 4. SPATIAL FRAMEWORK 4.1 INTRODUCTION The primary purpose of a Spatial Framework is to reflect the strategic and policy framework contained in the Integrated Development Plan and to provide a broad spatial guidance for existing and future development and land use. This includes, without being limited to, development objectives, proposals for land reform, urban renewal, reconstruction, integration, environmental planning, transport planning, infrastructure planning, and urban design. The land use or spatial planning aspects of an integrated development plan are therefore governed primarily by the requirements of its Spatial Development Framework (SDF) component. The SDF integrates various sectoral planning proposals at all three levels of government thereby ensuring consistency in the overall structure of spatial plans; the different institutions guiding the spatial development framework are discussed below. 4.2 PROVINCIAL SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (i) The purpose of the Provincial Spatial Development Framework The Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF)1 generally makes broad policy statements and proposals with regard to spatial development in the province and these policies are further adopted by Districts and Local Municipality Spatial Development Frameworks (SFDs) to give detail to the broad PSDF proposals. The aim and purpose of the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF) are: To align the PSDF with the National Spatial Development Perspective; To spatially reflect the vision of how the Province should develop in the broadest sense; 1 By the time this ITP was compiled the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF) document was also still under formulation and therefore extracts used in this section are taken from the PSDF draft document, dated March Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 65

72 To spatially integrate the strategies of the various sectors; To provide a framework which promotes environmentally sustainable development (i.e. ecological integrity, social equity and economic efficiency) throughout the Province; To ensure that these objectives are reflected in the provincial spatial economy; To guide the spatial development of municipalities; To serve as an information source and guideline to inform and direct land use management; and To spatially reflect the interrelatedness between ecological, social and economic activity (ii) Problems and Issues The PSDF has identified pressing issues within the Western Cape Province with regard to the natural environment, built environment and socio-economics in the province and calls for remedial measures within the municipal SDF in order to address these issues. Issues that have a direct impact on the WCDM include: Diminishing biodiversity contributing to water scarcity, soil destruction and global warming through decreases in bio-mass and the ability to absorb green house gases, in particular carbon dioxide ; The lack of progress in meaningfully altering the socio-economic and physical patterns of the province s urban settlements thereby continuing the patterns of apartheid planning; Increasing urban and regional road traffic demand coupled with a lack of success in shifting the modal split to 80% public and 20% private transport; The general quality of education, high school drop-out rates, health issues, especially HIV / AIDS and TB prevalence, unemployment levels and housing backlogs. (iii) Areas of Intervention and Proposals The PSDF identified three main areas of intervention and necessary strategies to be implemented in order to address the above mentioned issues, as listed in Table 4.1 below: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 66

73 Table 4.1: PDSF Policy Proposals Areas of Intervention Strategy Natural Environment Resource Conservation Built Environment Urban Restructuring and Regional Linkages Socio-economic Trends Human Resource and Economic Development Source: PDSF, March 2005) The Western Cape Spatial Development Framework represents special manifestation of the factors listed in Table 4.1 and includes elements such as urban edge, urban development, intensive agricultural areas, areas of endangered, least threatened and vulnerable species, river corridors, ecological corridors and transport corridors as shown Figures 4.1 and 4.2 below. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 67

74 Figure 4.1: The Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (Source: CNdV Africa, PDSF, March 2005) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 68

75 Figure 4.2: Western Cape PSDF (Transport Corridors) (Source: CNdV Africa, PDSF, March 2005) Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 69

76 Broad policy proposals have been formulated in the PSDF in order to carry out strategies mentioned in Table 4.1, among other policy proposals relevant to the WCDM made by the PSDF are statements like: It shall be the responsibility of local Municipalities, guided by district municipalities, to align their zoning maps and town planning schemes of their spatial development frameworks so as to accurately delineate the boundaries of the Broad Provincial Spatial Planning Categories according to information available at the local level. Settlements are to be structured so as to break down the apartheid spatial patterns increase urban functional efficiencies, achieving an average gross density of 25 dwelling units (100 people) per hectare inside the urban edge will enable both these issues to be addressed. Densification of urban settlements should occur with due regard for environmental and heritage concerns as identified in Environmental / Heritage Impact Assessments (EIA s / HIA s). 50% of the five major urban activities; public transport (access points), residence, recreation, shopping, and employment should be accessible within walking distance (1000m) of residential dwellings. Municipal urban transport plans shall make provision for non-motorised transport, cycles and pedestrians along major routes, in their transport plans by All municipalities shall follow an integrated approach to waste management consisting of three steps, avoid, minimise and treat. Waste Management System shall consist of a collection service from the source, (domestic, office or factory) transfer stations and waste disposal sites. All wetland eco-systems shall be protected such that at least their basic function is maintained. The above proposals are not only guidelines but are statutory binding and should therefore be adhered to by local municipalities. 4.3 POLICIES OF THE WEST COAST DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY The West Coast District Municipality is engaged in, or has completed several strategic planning processes to give guidance in management and governance of its municipal area. These include: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 70

77 the Integrated Development Plan Economic Development Strategy Tourism Strategy Disaster Management Plan Infrastructure Strategy Including an prioritised infrastructure implementation plan Urbanisation Strategy 4.4 TOWN PLANNING THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECTS PERSONAL MOVEMENT The following cases illustrate the extent of past and current land use planning that have a negative impact on the personal movement of, in particular, communities who walk or make use of public transport. Saldanha Bay Saldanha: The residential areas of Diazville and Nuwepos are both situated on the outskirts of the town and are both still growing further away from the town. Walking time to the town centre exceeds 20 minutes. Vredenburg: The newly planned extension of Louwville is further away from the town centre than the existing area. A significant arterial is planned to run through this area, which could negatively affect pedestrian movement as well as mobility on this road in future. Swartland Malmesbury: Illengelethu and Wesbank are both separated from the town centre by the N7 freeway. The only place to cross the N7 is at the interchange near Bokomo. The pedestrian walkway is not very wide and pedestrians have to cross the intersection on the eastern on- and off ramps as well. New extensions are made further away from the town centre and along the N7 to the south of Malmesbury. No formal accesses have been planned for these residential extensions, which leads to informal accesses forming by default. Observations indicate that an increasing number of pedestrians are crossing the N7 at places other than the formal crossing, probably to reduce their walking distance. This poses serious safety risks to both pedestrians and the passing vehicular traffic. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 71

78 Berg River Piketberg: A new housing extension is being planned to the north of Piketberg. No provision is being made for pedestrian movement either within the area or on the main road leading to and from this area. The main road has a rural cross section where it passes this development, which forces pedestrians to walk on the shoulder of the road. The new area is also situated further from the town centre than the existing residential area. Cederberg Citrusdal: The residential area north of Citrusdal is situated a long distance from the town centre. It was noticed, however, that the majority of residents prefer to walk this distance in lieu of using the minibus taxi service. Future extensions further north of this area may oblige residents to make use of the minibus taxis, despite the fact that most people find it almost unaffordable Lamberts Bay: The lower income residential area is separated from the town centre by MR538 that runs through the town. While this road does not carry heavy traffic volumes under normal conditions, it is fairly busy during holiday periods. Future planning to extend the housing area or to upgrade the road should take the need for safe pedestrian crossing into consideration. Graafwater: The lower income area is separated from the town centre by MR543. While this road does not have high traffic volumes, traffic tend to speed on it, making it dangerous for pedestrians to cross. Exacerbating the situation is the fact that the road over rail bridge reduces sight distance to the intersection for traffic approaching from the east (Clanwilliam side). An underpass exists adjacent to the railway crossing where pedestrians can cross the road safely. The underpass is not on the desire-line for pedestrian movement and is therefore seldom used. Matzikama Vredendal: Vredendal north is separated from the town centre by a distance that almost precludes walking. A small number of informal pedestrian routes have developed over time. All of these still have gravel surfaces, which make them very difficult to use when wet. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 72

79 An extension to the west of Vredendal-north is currently being planned. No provision is made for an additional access road to reduce the walking or travelling distance to the town centre. The same problem of transport is therefore perpetuated in the new housing area. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 73

80 5. NEEDS ASESSMENT 5.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter deals with the individual s need to travel, which forms part of the demand side of the transportation system. Individual travel needs ranges from the social trips made within a residential area, through the day-to-day work and shopping trips, to the less frequent long distance trips to Cape Town and beyond. In metropolitan areas in South Africa, the transportation system is to a large extent, designed to cope with the peak demand. This occurs either during the morning home-towork, or afternoon work-to-home trip. In and between smaller rural towns, the peak demand often does not place the same level on restraint on the capacity of the infrastructure. It is even possible that the daily commuter trips do not constitute the peak demand in these areas. If all origins, destinations and the time of the demand for travel between these were known, the period and size of the maximum demand would be known, and the transportation system could be designed accordingly. Unfortunately very little is known about the travelling needs of the West Coast community at this point in time. This chapter describes trends that could be derived from existing data, and identifies short-comings in the data which make more meaningful conclusions impossible. Similar to water or electricity reticulation systems, the capacity of the system depends on meeting the peak demand. While it is unacceptable to not have water or electricity when a person needs it, it is acceptable to endure some form of delay that is brought about by congestion in the transport system. However, it is well documented what the impact on the economy is of thousands of productive hours that are lost every year while individuals are in transit between home and work. The time lost in the transportation system can take many forms. The need to travel is a given and allow people to move from, for example, home to work or school. A certain travel time is therefore expected, and is not seen as time lost that could be spent more productively elsewhere. The time spent travelling depends on the distance and speed of travel. The minimum travel time for any particular trip is therefore achieved over the shortest distance and the highest speed. The speed at which is travelled is usually Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 74

81 restricted by the safety characteristics or cost of the mode or way (e.g. road, path, rail) used for the trip. The distance travelled can be reduced by locating prominent trip origins and destinations in close proximity to each other. This typically involves applying town planning principles of mixed land uses and higher density developments. Time over the same distance is usually lost when the demand on a mode of transport exceeds its capacity, or congestion occurs. In transport engineering terms therefore, the appropriate mix of modes has to be employed to ensure the lowest level of congestion. Another technique to reduce peak demand is to encourage people not to travel at the same time. The efficient planning for the demand side of transport can have as big, or an even bigger, impact on optimising the transport system than improving the supply side of the system. Transport planning should therefore strive to discourage urban sprawl, which results in the development of housing schemes on the outskirts of towns where land is generally more readily available and therefore more affordable. 5.2 PERSONAL MOVEMENT Personal movement is usually defined as home based trips to and from, or between various destinations. These trips can be described as follows: Walking to private car, public transport or destination Cycling to public transport or destination Private car to public transport or destination The only information available about the number and type of trips that are made in the West Coast is from the National Transport Survey (NTS). This household survey was conducted by the National Department of Transport in The information indicates very broad trends as its aim was not to gather comprehensive data for any particular area. A survey of the public transport system in 2003, to establish the Current Public Transport Record (CPTR), revealed some of the transport patterns of the group in the West Coast that make use of public transport. As reported in the Public Transport Plan (PTP), the methodology of obtaining data in this process was based on requirements determined for similar surveys in urban areas. The PTP concluded that this methodology was not entirely Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 75

82 suitable for a rural area, and recommended that changes be made to the method of collecting information when preparing the next CPTR. Very little information has been obtained from the Department of Education regarding the transport of learners. While the majority of learner trips would take place on foot and within urban areas, there are many bus operators in the West Coast that transport learners, on a contract basis, from farms to farm schools situated both within and outside of the larger towns. Business trips are typically made from the workplace to clients, for professional or other services (e.g. plumbing). These trips typically occur between the peak hours and are generally made by means of private or delivery vehicles. Institutional trips include those made to government offices, the courts or for other administrative functions. Many of these trips are accommodated on public transport vehicles during working hours. Retail trips in the West Coast are mainly done on Saturdays, and constitute the largest peaks within the public transport system. Figure 5.1 was compiled during the CPTR for the West Coast and clearly shows the considerable difference between the actual passenger volumes counted on a Friday and Saturday on a particular route. There are also a significant number of special needs passengers in the West Coast that require special arrangements to overcome problems in their personal transportation. 5.3 CURRENT DEMAND ESTIMATED FROM PUBLIC TRANSPORT TRIPS The following analysis of demand for public transport shows the need for and description of a possible improved public transport system. Public transport is typically required on the following three physical levels, being: Within a town; Within a B-Municipality; Between towns within the West Coast; To destinations outside the West Coast (mostly Cape Town). Demand is also spread over essentially the following three time related levels: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 76

83 Frequent - Daily (commuter); Frequent Weekends (Saturday shopping); Random, i.e. varying in frequency. The daily trip within a town is what a public transport system is typically designed for in urban conditions. In the West Coast, this type of service is relatively small and prevalent mostly in the larger towns that are also the commercial hubs. Another variation is commuter trips that are attracted to a larger node from surrounding small towns, e.g. Paternoster to Vredenburg. In smaller towns the daily work and school trips are typically made on foot because of the shorter distances involved. The public transport service type with the highest passenger volumes is that serving the Saturday shopping trips. These services occur both within the bigger towns and from smaller towns and farms to the bigger towns. This type of service dictates the size of the public transport industry in the West Coast. Figure 5.1 shows the typical distribution of public transport trips on a weekday and weekend. The weekday PM peak is only this large for the Friday, as it includes weekend trips, typically people leaving a town for the weekend. Other weekday trips do not show a significant peak. Other trips between towns happen regularly, but infrequently, during the week and include trips to institutions, e.g. courts, and businesses, e.g. banks. While the demand is much lower than on weekends, the demand is regular and should be planned for. The exception to this is pension day when demand is similar, if not sometimes higher than on a typical Saturday. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 77

84 Figure 5.1: Variation of demand during week and weekends CPTR Inligting vir WCW 200 (Moorreesburg) 60 Aanvraag Week Aanvraag Sat Aanvraag 1 Taxi 3 Taxis Week Voorsien Sat Voorsien Tyd Source: CPTR Presentation. The most prominent other type of service is the regular service between towns, both within and outside the West Coast, the most prominent being the trip to Cape Town. These trips occur almost on a daily basis from most of the major towns. 5.4 DEMAND FOR PERSONAL TRIPS The demand for personal trips is described in the four levels described above, and in terms of the trip purposes listed below. Work; Education; Shopping; Recreational; Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 78

85 5.4.1 Within a Town Similar to urban areas, trip making characteristics are influenced by factors such as income, household size and age profile. There is an obviously strong correlation between income, car ownership and also car usage. As the average household income of an area reduces, the car ownership reduces and the more dependant that group is on public transport. The majority of trips in towns would be home-to-work and home-to-school trips. Work Trips Town centres typically provide white collar and professional services that are associated with higher salaries. Industrial areas are typically situated on the fringes of towns and provide lower paying, blue collar and unskilled jobs. In Saldanha Bay, the heavy industrial area is situated between the towns of Vredenburg, Saldanha and Langebaan. This area is not within walking distance from any residential areas. Heavy industries are also characterised by the fact that production is typically a continuous operation so that factory staff work in shifts for 24 hours a day. These shifts typically do not coincide with peak periods of other types of trips. Light industries are typically situated close to town centres and are typically within walking distance of residential areas. These establishments typically operate during office hours so that the travel demand peaks together with that of the town centre and schools. Examples of this type of trip attractor in the West Coast are Bokomo in Malmesbury, Rooibos in Clanwilliam and the wine bottlers in Vredendal. Institutional Trips Like in urban areas there is a constant, but lower, demand for personal transport during business hours. These trips include shopping trips, visits to shops and institutional facilities like the courts, clinics and financial institutions. In smaller towns there are few such attractions and therefore also few such trips. Shopping Trips On an aggregate level, it was observed that very few trips are made to minor rural towns throughout the day. However, rural towns in the West Coast explode on Friday afternoons Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 79

86 and especially Saturdays when large number of people visit town centres for their weekly shopping trips. The end of month Saturday is characterised by even larger peaks. Learner Trips Within towns, schools are typically situated within walking distance of residential areas. This is especially true for primary schools. Learners typically walk to school at a time that coincides with the AM peak trip generation of work trips. Measures to reduce travel The most effective way to reduce travel is to concentrate all human activities in a town in as small a space as possible. This is especially important for lower income groups whose main mode of transport is walking. Where major origins and destinations cannot be placed in close proximity of each other, the transportation needs to allow people to move between these effectively, should be planned as part of the development. This planning includes: Higher density developments reduce travel distances to minibus taxi pickup points; All new residential developments should have convenient access to the arterial roads on which minibus taxi trips occur; Infilling should be considered on vacant land where it would result in an appropriate land use mix; Development densities of over about 20 dwelling units (du s) per hectare will encourage viable public transport operations; Light industrial areas should be located in close proximity to the residential areas of the targeted work force Within a B-Municipality B-Municipalities are characterised by having one or two large or major, towns and a number of smaller, or minor, towns. As described above, smaller towns have fewer of the shops and facilities than the larger towns. This means that larger towns attract many personal trips from its surrounding smaller towns. In a few cases, the closest major town to a rural community or minor town lies within another B- or even C-Municipality. The most prominent of these are: Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 80

87 Velddrif in Berg River converging on Vredenburg in Saldanha Bay; Elands Bay in Cederberg converging on Piketberg in Berg River; Saron in Winelands District converging on Porterville in Berg River; Nuwerus in the DMA coverging on Vredendal in Matzikama. Work Trips People reside in small towns mainly due to the employment it offers, or for other family or traditional reasons. Work and school trips are therefore the main type of trips attracted to the town centres. Shopping and Institutional Trips Another important trip generator on this level is the farming community. Daily trips include school trips and general business trips to the local or nearest major town. Farm workers typically do not have their own vehicles and cannot travel into town on a daily basis. Their working hours also make it difficult to reach businesses in town during office hours. Farmers make vehicles available for trips to the nearest town on Saturdays. Most farm workers make use of the availability of this transport to do their weekly shopping. These trips to the town centre contribute significantly to the peak trip generation experienced in the West Coast towns on a Saturday morning. As the vast majority of these trips are not made in private vehicles, this peak in person traffic does not necessarily produce the peak road traffic. Learner Trips Many farming communities provide the local learners with a primary school in the vicinity of the farms. Secondary school learners have more specialised schooling requirements that are provided in the larger towns. This result in trips generated in a wide area to converge to the schools in towns. The department of Education provides transport for these trips by employing minibus taxi or bus operators on a contract basis. Travelling between Towns Personal travel on this level typically involves the visit to a larger town from the smaller towns or farms within a B-Municipality. These trips would typically include shopping trips, trips for institutional purposes that are not available in the smaller towns, and also trips to school. The majority of people in the West Coast would not commute between towns. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 81

88 Travelling between towns could be reduced by duplicating services typically found only in larger towns in the smaller towns. Retail and service providers require a critical mass of customers to operate efficiently. The market for such services often requires the combined populations of all the small towns in its vicinity to be viable. Duplicating retail or service outlets therefore increases the cost of providing the service to the same market base. It is therefore typically cheaper for some customers to travel to centralised outlets than to create duplicate outlets in more towns. In the long term market forces predict how many private businesses will trade in a specific area. Government institutions, while not operating on a profit motive, have similar cost structures and should also restrict facilities to that which is economically sustainable in the long term. The distribution of public facilities into the major centres, inevitably result in the creation of a need to travel. As in the case of the town level, private and public facilities should ideally be located where it minimises the overall travel distances for all people in its catchment area Within the West Coast Not much information is available on the demand for personal trips from one B-Municipality to another. One such trip type is the movement of learner between schools in different areas for the purpose of sporting events. In a smaller number of cases some individuals would commute to places of work in large towns in neighbouring municipalities. District Level As shown in the status quo part of this report, this type of travel mainly occurs when the small town and the closest large town lie in different B-Municipalities. There appears not to be a significant demand for other, unique trips within the district. Those that occur are mainly for events like sport competitions between schools in neighbouring towns. The demand for person trips other than described above should be established by sourcing this type of information from a household survey. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 82

89 5.4.4 Outside of the West Coast Cape Town is a very strong attractor of trips as it provides a vast array of facilities not available in the West Coast. These include Regional Shopping Centres, Universities, Specialised medical care centres and longer distance transportation facilities. Through the CPTR process it was discovered that numerous trips move to and from Cape Town and West Coast towns on a daily basis. Many people return home on the same day, while others stay over in Cape Town. There are typically between three and six trips per week from towns like Piketberg and Vredendal. There are daily trips from the towns nearer to Cape Town like Malmesbury and Vredenburg. Major destinations within the greater Cape Town area include the CBD, Bellville and Kuilsriver. It appears that the majority of Cape Town trips during the week are day trips where people return on the same day. Regional Level Trips on a regional level are typically not work or education related and are therefore of a more voluntary nature. Individuals would not frequently make these trips, which are typically of a personal nature and for reasons that could not be fulfilled within the West Coast. An important trip type on a regional level is that of tourism trips. A Tourism Strategy for the West Coast was still in the development phase at the time this report was completed. The transportation related issues that should be included in the Transport Strategy are discussed below Transportation Planning for Tourism The West Coast holds a wide variety of tourism destinations, as well as being the gateway to the famous Namakwaland flowers. This type of travel demand is highly encouraged as it leads to a direct inflow on money that again leads to the creation and sustaining of employment opportunities for the West Coast community. From a transportation perspective, this demand can be stimulated by: Proper signposting of the tourist attractions; Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 83

90 Availability of travel distances to and between different attractions Information about specific the route conditions, especially where the trip include gravel roads; Operating licence conditions conducive to high quality tourism services especially to local tour operators. 5.5 NEEDS REVEALED THROUGH WARD COMMITTEES IN IDP PROCESS Needs were identified through the ward committees in the local municipalities as part of the IDP process. The needs relating to transport are highlighted here Saldanha Bay Municipality Transport for pensioners to the Vredenburg hospital Lighting in Hopland Replace stop streets with speed humps Lighting at railway line Upgrade streets with storm water and sand problems Develop play area combined with walkway Create playgrounds and street access Upgrade of sidewalk in Bergsig Street Repair street lighting in Bergsig Street Provide safe access for traffic Street lighting on 5th and 6th Streets behind school Traffic safety improvements Repair kerbing Improve lighting too faint Seal sidewalks in stead of paving with bricks Provide pedestrian over pass Refuse bins and water at minibus taxi boarding points Cheaper public transport Build streets and maintain it Street names Speed signs More visible traffic control Surfacing of Sonneblom Street Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 84

91 Upgrade of roads Link road between Maxwell Moss Square and Hopland Parking in central town Better transport for community More stop streets Formal minibus taxi rank in Langebaan Upgrade of Leentjies-klip road Speed control and enforcement Street lighting in Laingville Surface roads and improve storm water in Laingville Access to old cemeteries Transport for All Pay to collection point Traffic management plan Develop land adjacent to Kayamandi village Berg River Municipality Ambulance services to a permanent clinic Address priority of problem streets Tar (surface) all sidewalks Erect road signs on farm roads Upgrade of Dasklippas Continuous maintenance and management of transport infrastructure in Berg River Upgrading of sidewalks to accommodate storm water Extension of infrastructure Traffic Calming to improve traffic safety Surfacing of streets in RDP area Speed humps with road signs Erect street lighting at RDP houses in Aurora Surfacing of Hof Street Cederberg Municipality Costs associated with transport for sport; Upgrade West Coast Road at Lamberts Bay; Upgrade of roads; Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 85

92 Improve condition of roads in the area; Upgrade roads at Leipoldtville; Poor road leads to damage of fresh produce on way to markets - Leipoldtville Transport in general, specifically Clanwilliam; Canal Road to Wupperthal has to be surfaced; Roads and Infrastructure; Access Roads Roads and infrastructure in Clanwilliam; Lack of infrastructure in Citrusdal; Public Transport; Improve roads aesthetically Parking for heavy vehicles at Graafwater; Surface access road to Elands Bay; Improve safety of main road by means of speed humps of stop streets; Surfacing of Canna Street in Citrusdal; Surfacing of Cemetry Road; Lamberts Bay Renaissance Route Matzikama Municipality Bus stop on Alpha Street Better access roads and surfaced roads Adequate street lighting Establish parking area Removable speed humps Improve landing strip for Micro light and small aircraft Land for taxi rank in Doringbaai Land for filling station Make open storm water safe Improve standards of streets Implement road traffic signs and speed humps Upgrade of sidewalks and speed humps Traffic signals at pedestrian crossing Cleaning of streets Traffic signal at Holrivier intersection Access from main road to residential area Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 86

93 6. PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROPOSAL 6.1 INTRODUCTION The Public Transport Plan (PTP) for the West Coast proposed a public transport system that could be implemented in the area. The PTP described the operations and infrastructure needed to improve public transport for this community. The public transport planning proposals from the PTP are summarised here. Planning initiatives that integrate public transport planning with other levels and fields of the transport system are also discussed. 6.2 MODES OF PERSONAL TRAVEL Personal travel takes place by means of the following modes of transport: - Walking - Cycling - Private Car - Public Transport Minibus Taxis Buses Passenger Rail Supplying in these needs were historically focused on the needs of the private car user, with little thought given to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, especially those with special needs. Planning for the different modes within a town should be approached as follows: Pedestrian Needs Walking is herewith defined as a mode of transport. Accommodating pedestrians is a critical factor in the quality of a community. Walking and travel by wheelchair are the most basic forms of transportation that must be accommodated for the sake of equity and to support other travel modes. For example, good pedestrian Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 87

94 conditions are essential for effective public transit, since transit riders usually walk for mobility at their destinations. (Litman, et al., 2000). Various authors have recognised that the basic requirements and needs of pedestrians are: Availability: the system must be accessible by right to all users in the region. Sidewalks, pathways and, crosswalks should ensure the mobility of all users by accommodating the needs of people regardless of age or mobility; Negotiability: The routes, surfaces etc. should not present a real barrier to any significant group. Safety: Sidewalks, pathways, and crossings should be designed and built to be free of hazards and to minimise conflicts with external factors such as noise, vehicular traffic, and protruding architectural elements. Safety can be provided by separation of pedestrians from vehicular traffic, horizontally in malls and other vehicle-free areas, and vertically using overpasses and underpasses. (Traffic control devices can provide time separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.) Security: features including lighting, open lines of sight, and the degree and type of street activity. Economy: pedestrians should not be subject to congestion and undue delay, whether caused by lack of footpath capacity or obstructing streams of vehicles. Economy also relates to the user cost associated with travel delays and inconvenience, and to the rental value and retail development as influenced by pedestrian environment. Pedestrian improvements should be designed to achieve the maximum benefit of their cost, including initial cost and maintenance cost as well as reduced reliance on more expensive modes of transportation. Where possible, improvements in the right-of-way should stimulate, reinforce and connect with adjacent private improvements. Convenience: factors include walking distances, pathway directness, grades, sidewalk ramps, directional signing, directory maps, and other features making pedestrian travel easy and uncomplicated. Sidewalk obstructions, such as mailboxes, telephone booths, newsstands, refuse cans, and planters, may be relocated to improve pedestrian flow at practically no cost. Any implied detours should be limited. Comfort: users should not have to suffer distressing conditions (climatically or socially). Factors include weather protection, climate control, arcades, transit shelters and other pedestrian amenities. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 88

95 People should be connected to places they want to reach: The pedestrian network should provide continuous direct routes and convenient connections between destinations, including homes, schools, shopping areas, public services, recreational opportunities, and public transport. System coherence: is related to the concepts of the perception of urban space. A confused pedestrian searching for orientation has limited receptivity to secondary visual inputs such as aesthetics. Easy to use: Sidewalks, pathways and crossings should be designed so people can easily find a direct route to a destination and delays are minimised. Amenity: every effort must be made in planning, design, construction and management to provide as pleasant and enjoyable environmental experience as possible. Maintenance: clean surfaces and trimmed trees and shrubs, enhance appearance and encourage use. Functionality: Pedestrians need adequate facilities, including sidewalks with sufficient width, and satisfactory surface condition. Facilities should be designed and maintained to meet the needs of vulnerable users, including people with disabilities and special needs. Pedestrian ways (footpaths) are classified in two main types: Sidewalks, provided parallel to a street or road within the road reserve Walkways, which are independently aligned an not typically provided in the road reserve As a matter of principle, the higher the order of road, hence the higher the traffic volumes and/or travel speeds, the higher the class of pedestrian facility should be. The National Guidelines for the Design of Pedestrian and Cycle Facilities should be consulted and used as policy document in the implementation of such facilities. The photograph below shows typical conditions for pedestrians in a rural town. While a separated pedestrian walkway exists on the far side of the road, there is also a demand for pedestrians to walk on the near side. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 89

96 Pedestrian movement in Citrusdal Acceptable walking distances depend on a variety of factors, such as topography, climate conditions, time of day, trip purpose, land use and many others. Many people will walk longer for recreational purposes, but prefer shorter distances when they are commuting or in a hurry. The distance that people are willing to walk can be extended by measures such as providing exclusive pedestrian walkways separated from vehicles, by providing weather protection, and by ensuring an attractive environment. Special attention should be given to the provision of pedestrian crossing, both signalised and unsignalised. Local authorities should not be pressured into implementing these on the emotive requests from the community only, but should adhere to the warrants for traffic signals described in the latest edition of the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual (SARTSM) Cycling The demand for bicycle travel has not been assessed during the CPTR. This mode of transport should, however, be promoted in West Coast towns. Cycling is often problematic during adverse weather conditions, but such days are relatively few in the West Coast. Facilities for bicycles, or bicycle paths should be planned and designed in terms of the National Guidelines for the Design of Pedestrian and Cycle Facilities. Jeffares & Green and Iliso Consulting 90