Ph.D. (Energy Studies) / The purpose of this research was to assess the influences of transport infrastructure on urban development and mobility in emerging megacities. The method is demonstrated using the Gauteng City-Region as a case study. The main criteria were to assess how past urban growth patterns have been influenced by the established transport infrastructure, to assess the transport energy implications of past trends and on this basis, develop land-use/transport scenarios that optimise space, transport accessibility and energy. The procedure involved a time-series analysis of Landsat satellite-derived land-use change at three decadal intervals (1991, 2001 and 2009), spatial analysis of corridor (ribbon/linear) development using a series of urban growth maps in conjunction with transport infrastructure, estimation of the transport energy implications of current and past urban structures and the development of possible urban land-use/transport scenarios. The land-use change and urban growth trends analysis was based on a method combining land-use/cover mapping of Landsat5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) satellite imagery, supervised classification and post-classification. Effects of transport infrastructure on land-use development were assessed by analysing urban growth densities within buffer zones of major roads and railway stations, at 0.5 km intervals. To estimate the transport energy implications of current and past urban structures, satellite imagery derived urban growth data are combined with products of the Gauteng Transportation Study 2000 (GTS 2000) model developed on the EMME/2™ platform. Future land-use/transport scenarios are developed within the framework of critiqued urban growth models, success and failures stories in other city-regions, policy positions of the three spheres of Government and preceding results of this study...

M.Ing. (Engineering Management) / Commuter rail in South Africa faces many challenges as a result of a long history of inadequate investment in rail rolling stock, infrastructure, operations as well as the loss of appropriate managerial and technical (engineering) skills within the industry. Over time, commuter rail services have continued to fail to respond adequately to the changing passenger demands. On the other hand mobility has undergone constant change in terms of both population growth and spatial patterns. For an effective and viable country, the transport infrastructure and operations have to respond to this continual process of change. From the transport context, South Africa is still haunted by its poor transport legacies of the past, which emerged mainly as a result of dysfunctional institutions. The dysfunctional institutional arrangements have resulted in poor accountability in the provision of public transport services, which were found to be largely disempowering. Government‘s socio-economic and transport policies could not be supported adequately by such institutional arrangements. As South Africa embarks on a journey of turning its public transport system around, the challenges for public transport are to simultaneously transform through meaningful integration, whilst at the same time enhancing capacity through upgrading and modernization in order to meet long-term needs of the economy. This research focuses on the impacts of urbanization, commuter rail network and planning interventions aimed at an integrated public transport solution. Firstly, the research investigates the impact of urbanization in relation to public transport and in addressing the ongoing challenge of rapid growth and thereby perpetuating social, economic and spatial inequalities. Secondly, there is a disjuncture between legislation and implementation that the research investigates. Thirdly, the study investigates the connectedness of Gauteng in relation to economic opportunities, social facilities and amenities. It aims to explore the extent of integration of Gauteng institutionally, spatially and socio-economically. The study concludes that transportation is the single most important factor in shaping the economy. Transportation should therefore be highlighted in the spatial development planning framework and processes in Gauteng. The key in addressing the impact of urban rapid growth on commuter rail is managing land use and transport networks in such a way that the highest level of access to services and employment opportunities are maintained.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Human existence in its current form is unsustainable. Urban transport systems are one of the chief contributors to this problem due to the dominant role of the car. Car dominated transport systems have a number of serious impacts on social, economic and ecological systems which collectively suggest they are not sustainable. The complex, global “system of automobility”, a powerful socio-technical regime, ensures that car dominated transport systems endure, despite the serious problems they generate. In the face of the power and resilience of this system, there are examples around the world of urban areas which have implemented transport initiatives which depart from the dominant paradigm of automobility. They have successfully provided viable alternatives to the car, facilitated urban forms which are supportive of green modes and “reconquered” scarce urban space from the automobile. However, there are a multitude of barriers to any transition to sustainable urban transport systems. These can only be overcome through the related processes of contestation and innovation. The case of Stellenbosch is a local expression of the global “system of automobility”. Through a combination of infrastructure, urban form, institutions, beliefs and ways of life, this system is perpetuated at a local level. In a highly inequitable developing country context, this is particularly problematic. A town primarily designed to service car mobility is best suited to the reproduction of the middle class. The poor, and others without access to a car, are at a disadvantage and movement by green modes is, everywhere, discouraged. And yet, there are a number of innovative initiatives occurring within the town which depart from the dominant paradigm, contesting its continued dominance. The path towards transition is at all times uncertain. However, it is possible to enhance the potential for transition by strengthening existing niches, contesting existing regimes and preparing for the imminent increase in landscape pressure generated by climate change and resource scarcity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Menslike bestaan in sy huidige vorm is onvolhoubaar. Stedelike vervoerstelsels is een van die belangrikste bydraers tot hierdie probleem weens die oorheersende rol van die motor. Vervoerstelsels waar die motor die botoon voer het ‘n aantal ernstige gevolge op maatskaplike, ekonomiese en ekologiese stelsels wat gesamentlik daarop dui dat sodanige stelsels nie volhoubaar is nie. Die komplekse, globale “stelsel van motorvervoer”, ‘n kragtige sosio-tegniese regime, verseker dat vervoerstelsels waar die motor die botoon voer in stand gehou word, ondanks die ernstige probleme wat hulle skep. Met inagneming van die krag en veerkragtigheid van hierdie stelsel bestaan daar oral in die wêreld voorbeelde van stedelike gebiede wat vervoerinisiatiewe geïmplementeer het wat afwyk van die oorheersende paradigma van motorvervoer. Hulle het uitvoerbare alternatiewe vir die motor suksesvol verskaf, stedelike vorme wat groen gebruike ondersteun gefasiliteer en skaars stedelike ruimte van die motorvoertuig “herwin”. Daar is egter ‘n menigte hindernisse in die pad van enige oorgang tot volhoubare stedelike vervoerstelsels. Dit kan slegs oorkom word deur die verwante prosesse van verset en innovering. Die geval van Stellenbosch is ‘n plaaslike uitdrukking van die globale “stelsel van motorvervoer”. Deur ‘n kombinasie van infrastruktuur, stedelike vorm, instellings, gebruike en lewenswyses word hierdie stelsel op ‘n plaaslike vlak bestendig en behou. Teen die agtergrond van ’n uiters onregverdig ontwikkelende land is dit in die besonder problematies. ‘n Dorp wat in die eerste plek uitgelê is om vervoer wat op motors berus, te bedien, is veral geskik vir die reproduksie van die middelklas. Die armes en diegene sonder toegang tot ‘n motor word benadeel en beweging met behulp van groen wyses word oral ontmoedig. En tog kom daar ‘n aantal vernuwende inisiatiewe in die dorp voor wat afwyk van die oorheersende paradigma wat die voortgesette oorheersing daarvan beveg. Die weg na oorgang is te alle tye onseker. Dit is egter moontlik om die potensiaal vir oorgang te verbeter deur versterking van bestaande nisse, bestryding van bestaande regimes en voorbereiding vir die toenemende druk op die landskap weens klimaatsverandering en die skaarste aan hulpbronne.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Suburbanisation is a world-wide phenomenon and is characterised by the decline of central business districts and accelerated growth of commercial activities in the suburbs. The impact of suburbanisation is wide-spread and multi-dimensional, affecting the whole urban system in terms of its structure, activity and transport patterns. In South Africa, suburbanisation, together with the impact of the former group areas policy, has made suburban developments less accessible to the low-income groups living on the edges of the metropolitan area. Planners have proposed various urban densification strategies for the rather unique problems of the spatially inefficient South African cities, including corridor development along main public transport routes and the development of activity nodes. In order to implement these urban densification strategies successfully, it is important to understand the locational choice behaviour of business managers, and the factors that will attract them to locate in a certain area. This will enable metropolitan authorities to evaluate and implement the best policies to promote development of priority corridors and nodes The research for this dissertation was motivated by the extensive problems of suburbanisation, the lack of knowledge on the relative impact of land-use transport factors on the locational choices of businesses, and the apparent limited application of stated preference (SP) survey techniques and discrete choice models to spatial choices of businesses for urban planning purposes. The main objectives of the research were to determine the locational choice behaviour of retail businesses in strategic spatial terms, and how this knowledge can best be used to manage suburbanisation. The dissertation reviews intemational and South African studies on the planning and policies of the main role players in the urban system relating to retail suburbanisation, i.e. the planning authority, retail firms and consumers. The dissertation discusses the results of the market research that was done among Cape Town retailers located in the CSO, and in low- and high-income suburbs. The survey collected quantitative information regarding the locational choice factors of retail managers, importance ratings of choice factors as well as stated preferences for CSO and suburban locations. The calibration results of various discrete locational choice models are discussed, including elasticities of choice factors obtained from model applications to the SP data. The development of a spreadsheet locational choice model based on typical characteristics of CSO and suburban locations is subsequently discussed. Elasticities of choice factors from the application of the spreadsheet model were determined and the model was also used to test a decentralisation trend scenario and a managed suburbanisation scenario. The dissertation makes conclusions and recommendations regarding the most important locational choice factors of retail managers, and the most effective policies and strategies for metropolitan authorities to manage suburbanisation and promote urban densification. The performance of SP models applied to spatial choices are also evaluated and recommendations are made regarding their application and further research needs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stedelike desentralisasie is 'n wêreldwye verskynsel wat gekenmerk word deur die verval van sentrale sakegebiede (SSG) en die snelle groei van handelsbedrywighede in voorstede. Die impak van desentralisasie is verreikend en multi-dimensioneel en beïnvloed die hele stadstelsel in terme van sy struktuur, aktiwiteite and reispatrone. In Suid Afrika het desentralisasie saam met die impak van die voormalige groepsgebiedebeleid voorstedelike ontwikkelings minder toeganklik gemaak vir die lae-inkomstegroepe wat op die rand van die metropolitaanse gebiede woon. Beplanners het verskeie stadsverdigtingstrategieë, insluitende korridorontwikkeling langs hoofvervoerroetes en die ontwikkeling van aktiwiteitsnodusse voorgestelom die unieke probleme van die ruimtelik ondoeltreffende Suid-Afrikaanse stede die hoof te bied. Om hierdie stadsverdigtingstrategieë suksesvol te implementeer, is dit egter belangrik om die liggingskeusegedrag van besigheidsbestuurders, sowel as die faktore wat hulle beweeg om hulle in 'n spesifieke gebied te vestig, te verstaan. Hierdie kennnis sal metropolitaanse owerhede in staat stelom beleid te evalueer en die beste beleidsopsies te implementeer om die ontwikkeling van voorkeurkorridors en nodusse te bevorder. Die navorsing vir hierdie verhandeling is gemotiveer deur die omvattende probleme wat deur stedelike desentralisasie veroorsaak word, die gebrek aan kennis oor die relatiewe impak van grondgebruik-vervoerfaktore op die liggingskeuse van besighede, en die klaarblyklik beperkte toepassing van verklaardevoorkeuropnametegnieke (V V) en diskrete-keusemodelle op die liggingskeuses van besighede vir stadsbeplanningsdoeleindes. Die hoofdoelstellings van die navorsing was om die liggingskeusegedrag van kleinhandelbesighede in strategiese ruimtelike terme te bepaal en vas te stel hoe hierdie kennis gebruik kan word om stedelike desentralisasie te bestuur. In hierdie verhandeling word 'n oorsig gegee van die internasionale en Suid- Afrikaanse studies oor die beplanning en beleid van die belangrikste rolspelers in the stadstelsel wat desentralisasie van kleinhandel betref, naamlik die beplanningsowerheid, kleinhandelfirmas en verbruikers. Die resultate van marknavorsing onder kleinhandelaars vanuit Kaapstad se SSG en lae- en hoë-inkomstevoorstede, word bespreek. Die opname het kwantitatiewe inligting oor die liggingskeusefaktore van kleinhandelaars, die belangrikheid wat hulle aan keusefaktore heg, en hulle verklaarde voorkeure ten opsigte van vestiging in die SSG of die voorstede, ingesamel. Die kalibrasieresultate van verskeie diskretekeusemodelle word bespreek, insluitende die elastisiteite van keusefaktore wat deur die toepassing van die modelop V V-data verkry is. Vervolgens word die ontwikkeling van 'n liggingskeusemodel in 'n spreitabel wat op tipiese kenmerke van SSG- en voorstedelike liggings gebaseer is, bespreek. Elastisteite van die liggingsfaktore is bepaal deur die toepassing van die spreitabelmodel, en die model is ook gebruik om 'n desentraliasietendensscenario en 'n bestuurdedesentralisasiescenario te toets. Ten slotte word daar gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak oor die belangrikste liggingskeusefaktore van kleinhandelaars, en die mees effektiewe beleidsopsies en strategieë wat metropolitaanse owerhede kan volg om stedelike desentralisasie te bestuur en stadsverdigting te bevorder. Die werkverrigting van V V-modelle wanneer dit op die liggingskeuse van besighede toegepas word, word ook geëvalueer en aanbevelings word gemaak oor die toepassing daarvan en verdere navorsing wat nodig is

Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In an attempt to improve the efficiency of the transport system, the national government has instituted a new tender system for public transport contracts. Small bus and taxi operators are unfamiliar with operating in the formal sector. This study focuses on the extent of their disadvantage in the current tender system and recommends measures to counterbalance this. A questionnaire was devised to determine how much assistance these operators would require to prepare them for the tender, using the model bus tender document as a basis for this. The response rate was 20% with 14 taxi and 17 bus questionnaires being retrieved for analysis. The results showed that 10% of operators had no know ledge of the tender and many needed training in basic accounting and business procedures as well as public transport operation skills. Recommendations included institutional changes in public transport funding, management and allocation of resources as well as the type of education and training required. These changes should be implemented soon enough to ensure that small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) operators are well prepared for the new tender system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In 'n poging om die effektiwiteit van die vervoersisteem te verbeter, het die nasionale regering 'n tendersisteem vir openbare vervoerkontrakte ingestel. Klein bus en taxioperateurs is nie bekend met die bedryf van 'n besigheid in die formele sektor nie. Hierdie studie konsentreer op hul agterstand in die huidige tendersisteem en maak aanbevelings oor hoe dit oorkom kan word. 'n Vraelys is opgestel om te bepaal hoeveel bystand hierdie operateurs sal benodig om hu1le voor te berei vir die tender. Die model bus tenderdokument is as basis gebruik. 20% van die operateurs het op die vraelys gereageer - 14 taxi- en 17 busvraelyste is ontvang vir verder verwerking. Die resultate van die opname het getoon dat 10% van die operateurs geen kennis van die tender gehad het nie en dat baie van hulle opleiding benodig in basiese rekeninkundige en besigheidsprosedures sowel as openbare vervoer bedryfsmetodes. Aanbevelings van die studie sluit lil institusionele veranderinge lil openbare vervoerbefondsing, bestuur en die toewysing van hulpbronne asook die tipe onderrig en opleiding wat benodig word. Hierdie veranderinge behoort so gou as moontlik geïmplementeer te word sodat klein, medium en mikro operateurs goed voorberei kan word vir die nuwe tendersisteem.

The use of MEPLAN by the Metropolitan Transport Planning Branch of the Cape Town City Council since 1984 was not successful due to apartheid anomalies. EMME/2 was then introduced in 1991 in replacement of MEPLAN. The strengths and weaknesses of both MEPLAN and EMME/2 are recorded in this study.

The use of MEPLAN by the Metropolitan Transport Planning Branch of the Cape Town City Council since 1984 was not successful due to apartheid anomalies. EMME/2 was then introduced in 1991 in replacement of MEPLAN. The strengths and weaknesses of both MEPLAN and EMME/2 are recorded in this study.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to understand how value for money (‘VfM’), an important decision pillar in public procurement, is applied in South Africa, and compare the VfM regulated framework with other global practices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. VfM is applied when deciding the most appropriate procurement method that utilises public funds in the most cost effective, equitable and transparent manner. Although VfM is vital in the public sector, it is one of the most misunderstood and controversial procurement aspects. The various actors in public procurement processes tend to complicate this key aspect due to their conflicting objectives in relation to a given project. Chief among these are the political influences on the public managers, which tend to manipulate the procurement choice. Consequently over the years, the VfM assessments performed before selecting a procurement method have not been publicly available, thereby increasing concern on whether VfM is achieved, particularly when involving the private sector through public-private partnership (‘PPP’) arrangements. The study explores the various components of VfM, which are the public sector comparator, risk allocation mechanisms, particularly for the road sector projects, discount rates and post project implementation monitoring systems. More importantly, the research analysed how these various aspects were assessed on procuring the N4 toll road. South African National Road Agency SOC Limited (‘SANRAL’), although it did not have the benefit of a PPP guideline as is the case now, it performed extensive feasibility studies and held a transparent procurement process before selecting the private sector party to the PPP. Interestingly, project that was pre-identified as a PPP procurement model and had political support from both the Mozambique and South African governments from inception in order to make it work. The comparative analysis of the South African PPP framework and the selected global PPP markets revealed that the local VfM guidelines were comparable in most aspects such as the PSC construction and risk management methodologies. However, the South African practices could be further improved with increased transparency incorporated in the procurement process such as the publication of the PPP contract once finalised – a practice common in the developed markets analysed. This will go a long way to increasing acceptance of the PPP procurement model in a market that is tainted with mistrust of same. There is need for the civil servants to be trained on the VfM assessment processes so that such analyses are not limited to PPP-type projects, but to conventionally-procured infrastructure projects for increased accountability and effective use of public funds.

People without private transport are dependent on public transportation. Public transport, particularly minibus taxis, is the most popular mode of transport in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth. The objective of the minibus taxi industry is to provide public transport to minibus taxi commuters in an economically, reliable and safe manner. The focus of this case study was to explore and determine the views of minibus taxi commuters who utilised minibus taxis as a form of public transport, as well as the views of minibus taxi drivers in terms of adhering to road safety requirements on Stanford Road in Port Elizabeth. The literature survey revealed that transport in South Africa has had a political dimension arising from the Group Areas Act 41 of 1950. One consequence of this Act, which imposed residential segregation on the country, was that poor black commuters were forced to live far out of town, forcing them to travel long distances to places of work and commercial centres, with a commensurate increase in transport costs. Data was collected by means of two structured questionnaires which were administered to minibus taxi drivers and minibus taxi commuters to explore their views and experience of road safety on Stanford Road in Port Elizabeth. A discussion on the minibus taxi industry, minibus taxi associations and law enforcement agencies in Port Elizabeth, as well as the sustainability of the minibus taxi industry, followed in Chapter Three. Through this case study, valuable insight was gained regarding the minibus taxi industry and road safety in Port Elizabeth. Finally, recommendations to improve road safety were made.

PhD (Environmental Sciences) / Department of Urban and Regional Planning / See the attached abstract below