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. Governmentâs 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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:7839 |
| Date | 09 December 2013 |
| Creators | Kekana, Solomon Lebotlwe |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Johannesburg |
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