Increase in public transport during EcoMobility Festival
SANDTON - With the EcoMobility World Festival into its third week, the Sandton Central Management District has revealed that there has been a major growth in the use of public and alternative transport into Sandton since its launch on 5 October.
City Improvement District manager for the Sandton Central Management District, Elaine Jack, confirmed that the festival’s road engineers have counted some 100 commuters using park-and-ride facilities to get to Sandton on 5 October.
She added, “By Friday, 9 October, this had rocketed to 500 travellers headed to Sandton. Last week, the figures rose above 640 on Tuesday, and stayed at similar levels for the rest of the week, with the exception of Thursday 14 October, when user numbers peaked at a new high of 774.”
An impressive 661 people chose to use the public transport option to reach Sandton on 19 October.
The Gautrain has also released figures displaying a 7.7 percent increase in train users, with its Monday passenger count rising from an average of 55 800 users to 60 120. The bus service increased by 512 passenger trips with an average of 21 076 passengers using the bus service on the day. A total of 2 934 non-train users were also recorded on buses.
“The growing participation and response shows people are integrating new ways to move around Sandton into their lifestyles, shifting from private cars to public transport,” said Jack.
She pointed out that many people are using transportation that is less measurable, such as cycling and walking, attributing their participation to the increased visibility of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers who have been monitoring and managing the streets during the month of October.
“Easy access to Sandton is important to ensure it remains the preferred location of choice for business, living, leisure and tourism in the city. The JMPD has shown its presence has a significant impact in keeping traffic smooth and ensuring cyclists and pedestrians are safe,” said Jack.
Details: www.sandtoncentral.co.za
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