RFA approves move from road to rail, but says rail needs to prove reliability

Finally heeding to the call to move freight from road to rail, the Minister of Transport has announced a plan to do just this in the next five years.

This comes on the back of the recent crashes – particularly on the N2 near Pongola – involving freight vehicles.

Rail lines in South Africa have been un-operational for quite some time now due to the theft of cables and vandalism of rail infrastructure.  

Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association, explained that any reasonable assessment of logistics chains around the world shows that rail needs to play its part in the movement of certain sizes (gross tonnage) and types of cargo.

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“Moving millions of tonnes of coal or ore to a harbour by truck is not sensible, and South Africa leads the way in logistics operations when the dedicated lines carrying coal from the inland mines to Richards Bay, or similarly iron ore to Saldanha were textbook and sustainable examples of main-line rail operations. There were, of course, many more regional rail links that supported agriculture, manufacturing, and general retail business.

“Our greatest tragedy is that passenger rail has collapsed – a system that had lines running within most metropolitan areas. Busses (of all types and sizes) must now ply routes ensuring that employees can get to work on time. Efficiency, reliability, and security are not traits commonly associated with rail services, whether passenger or freight,” he said.

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But, Kelly says, in terms of freight services on rail, it will still take some before rail becomes a reliable and sustainable alternative. The rail infrastructure has been neglected and destroyed requiring much and very costly revamping.

“There is a myriad of challenges that face rail – and the plan to address and prevent these recurring is a vital part of any revitalisation of rail,” he said.

Realities in the freight logistics world determine how freight is moved, which modes are chosen above others and what investment (if any) will be applied to a mode.

Transportation has always been a dynamic industry – and whilst those who run businesses in the transportation industry continually compete and try to have an edge or provide the best service, it is the customer (owner of the goods) who ultimately decides on which mode is used.

“Those customers are businessmen and women – not romanticists,” Kelly said.

“Rail will need to provide the accessible, efficient, reliable, and secure services. Once rail can provide that kind of service, then the customer will use rail,” he said.

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The Road Freight Association (RFA) has had many discussions with the Department of Transport over the last three decades, some large logistics members of the association brought in concepts of trucks being carried by trains (ie on rail), truck trailers being able to run on rail lines and various other systems.

“These all eventually came to nothing, as the rail system was unreliable,” Kelly lamented.

Kelly suggest that certain route first be revamped and then run, to prove that rail can be relied upon to play its role as required. He concluded that the Association supports the move of rail-friendly cargo to rail.