The Gautrain extension is necessary and will have economic benefits – GMA
The Gautrain has a return on capital of R2.6 to every R1 spent. This compared to the UK's crossrail's 1:3 return on capital and Australia's inland rail's 1:2 return.
Another Gautrain meeting was held and once again people left it with more questions than answers.
This time it wasn’t just community members, but members of the provincial legislature (MPLs) and other stakeholders, too.
This with regards to the proposed route extension (linking proposed stations in Little Falls, Northgate – called Cosmo City Station – and Randburg CBD to the existing Sandton Station, where an upgrade is proposed) and expropriation of properties in Randburg, among other areas.
A Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport portfolio committee held a meeting with MPLs, the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and other stakeholders and community groups, in Sandton on August 16.
The Sharonlea Action Group and Greater Sharonlea Residents Forum were given a chance to ask questions at the end of the meeting.
While the substance of the meeting came from the question-and-answer session – where numerous objects and questions were raised – the presentations were somewhat informative, especially one about the economic impact and reasons behind the Gautrain extension.
At the meeting, four officials from the GMA discussed the process of the proposed route extension (we are currently in phase one of four).
CEO William Dachs explained that population growth and density, and urbanisation were the driving forces behind the need to improve public transport in the province.
“Public transport has to be on the front of our fight against pollution as it is the most carbon-efficient means of travel, apart from walking and cycling,” he said, while presenting statistics showing urbanisation and the increase in pollution were linked.
“It is expected that by 2025, 60% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas and 6.2 billion private motorised trips will be made every day in cities worldwide.”
He said the reasons the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link Project (Gautrain) was announced in 2000 (and the subsequent forming of the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network [GRRIN]) was to create jobs, stimulate investment, increase environmental benefits and support a modal shift from road to rail, especially in a province where there has been a trend of people living further from their work.
Currently, 13 million people live in Gauteng but by 2025 it is expected there will be 16.8 million and by 2037, 19.1 million.
The number of formal jobs will also grow exponentially from 4.6 million to 6.7 million in 2025 (+45%) and 8.5 million in 2037 (+84%).
The number of morning peak hour trips in traffic, across all modes, will increase from 2 million to 2.7 million in 2025 (+35%) to 1.2 million in 2037 (+60%),
Looking at a 2018 economic assessment, the Gautrain has a return on capital of R2.6 to every R1 spent.
This compared to the UK’s Crossrail’s 1:3 return on capital and Australia’s inland rail’s 1:2 return.
Thus, Dachs argued while many say the Gautrain is too expensive and underutilised, it is worthwhile financially.
A study also shows the property rates in nodes with the Gautrain have been increasing. They may reach R700 million per annum by 2030 and exceed R1 billion by 2040.
Also read:
Residents affected by proposed Gautrain route give voice at public meeting
