eThekwini Municipality has allocated over R1-billion to buy new buses for the first corridor of the new Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network and replace old buses in the current fleet over the next three years.
A report tabled at a special Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, 31 May, outlined the plans to go out to tender for new buses for the first corridor (C3) of the Go!Durban service, which is the route between Pinetown and Bridge City in KwaMashu.
The report proposed to replace 150 buses over the next three years on an approved budget of R325-million.
The municipality operates a fleet of 531 buses. Currently 128 buses have exceeded the optimum lifespan and already require a major refurbishment programme which includes engine, gearbox and some body work.
READ ALSO: GO!Durban project continues on track
Furthermore, some R764-million has been approved for the fleet requirement of 190 new buses over the next three years for the Go!Durban C3 service. The buses will be funded via the Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG) from savings in the current financial year and in the form of a loan for which the loan repayments will be funded by the PTNG.
The report stated that the Go!Durban project is underway with infrastructure for the first corridor nearing completion. The eThekwini Transport Authority has planned to start with an interim operation by mid-2017 which will require about 30 buses to run on this trunk corridor.
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