As part of the delivery of GO!Durban the city’s new integrated rapid public transport network, construction work has begun on widening the Corovoca Rail Bridge between Duffs Road interchange and the Avoca Hills intersection.

Stefanutti Stocks JV Construction have been appointed to develop a portion of this route which is approximately 4.4km long and extends along the MR577 from south of the Duffs Road interchange to the east of the MR577/Inanda Road intersection. Included in the scope of work is the widening of Corovoca Rail Bridge north of Avoca Hills intersection.

Deviations which will be active until the end of November 2015 are as follows: From the Avoca Hills intersection, north bound traffic will be diverted to the outer – west lane of the South bound carriageway until Lark road intersection. Traffic will then be diverted back to the north bound carriageway at the Lark road intersection as per the existing conditions – to normalise the situation.

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“This is a City for People not a City for cars”, was the message given by His Worship the Mayor of the eThekwini Municipality, Councillor James Nxumalo, echoing the vision of the City of Curitiba, Brazil, at the launch of the City’s Non-Motorised Transport Network today at the Green Hub in Durban. He reaffirmed the City’s “commitment for the development of public transport infrastructure plans to harness people power to propel themselves forward.”

Most cities in the world that have improved their transportation infrastructure by creating sustainable integrated rapid public transport networks have included a Non-Motorised Transport component. This includes all means of transport that are “human powered” like walking, and cycling, and variants such as roller skates, skateboards, push scooters and hand carts, as well as wheelchair travel, but also includes “animal powered” such as horse and carriage drawn transport.

For more information please visit: https://godurban.co.za/category/media/ 

GO!Durban, the City’s new integrated rapid public transport network has created a fantastical “Believe Tree” for the Sustainable Living Expo at the Durban Exhibition Centre which starts today 22/08/2014.

The Sustainable Living Expo aligns with one of the most important aspects of the Integrated Rapid Public Transport (IRPTN) roll out – future sustainability of the city through efficient, safe and affordable public transport. The “tree” has been created as a symbol of hope and dreams for the future of an environmentally friendly and sustainable Durban. Visitors to the Expo are encouraged to write their hopes and dreams on a leaf and place it on the “tree”. For every leaf “planted” on the tree, GO!Durban will plant a corresponding real living indigenous tree in areas most in need of greening along the different  IRPTN corridors.

The initial stage of the GO!Durban project is characterised by 4 corridors including rail. This phase is expected to be completed by 2018 and the network will accommodate:

Approximately 25% of the municipality’s total trunk public transport demand on road based IRPTN services

A further 40% by the trunk rail network as part of the Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (PRASA) implementation plans

This approach ensures recognisable benefit to the maximum number of users in the shortest period of time for the given level of investment required. Of the 190km of road based trunk corridors, 60km are planned for the Phase 1.

EThekwini Municipality is aware of the march by members of the KZN Transport Alliance taking place in the Durban CBD today, 11/06/2014.

The public is assured that all the necessary security measures have been put in place by the Metro Police, SAPS Public Order Policing and Crime Intelligence to ensure that the march is peaceful.

The Municipality urges the event organisers to advise their members to refrain from vandalising Council property or causing any disturbances during the march.

The Municipality is aware of the issues that the KZN Transport Alliance is protesting about and wishes to respond to each issue as follows:

1. THE ISSUING OF OPERATING LICENCES

EThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) has been working closely with the KZN Department of Transport (KZNDoT) and its Public Regulatory Entity to take over the process and to have the licensing function devolved to the City. This project is driven by senior staff from both the City and the KZNDoT. Progress reports are being provided to the taxi industry structures. The City and KZNDoT engages with the taxi industry on this matter on a regular basis.

2. LAWS BEING IN ENGLISH

Law Enforcement Officers always explain to the drivers, in the language that they understand. In instances where a driver indicates that he/she does not understand English, the officers always get another officer to explain to the driver in a language that they understand.

Furthermore, drivers that are being charged have an opportunity to go to court to make a representation and challenge the fines in their own language.

The reality is that the drivers do not pay the admission of guilt or go to court to make a representation to challenge the offence they have been charged for, often resulting in them being in contempt of court and warrants of arrest being issued against them.

3. CITY SHUTTING THE ALLIANCE OUT

The allegation by the Alliance that the eThekwini Municipality is shutting them out is unfounded and a misrepresentation of facts. On 14 February 2014, the Municipality signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Taxi Industry.

The MOA spells out the principles as to how the Municipality and the Taxi industry will engage with the taxi operators so that they can be part of the GO!Durban project. The Chairperson of the Transport Alliance was one of the signatories of the MOA representing the Transport Alliance and the taxi Industry leadership structures who were the signatories of the MOA all have copies of the signed MOA.

The City, together with the taxi industry leadership and the taxi industry advisors that the City is providing to the taxi industry, is now preparing to convene roadshows and consultation workshops to the wider taxi industry members to make them aware and to understand the project and how they will participate in the project.

In terms of the National Land Transport Act, Act 5 of 2009, the City is the planning authority that has to plan, contract and regulate public transport services.

In the GO!Durban project, operations contracts will be negotiated between operating companies and the City and both bus and taxi operators coming together to form companies to be contracted to operate the different routes across the Municipality.

Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Head, Tozi Mthethwa.