From 1 March a new complementary service will run directly from Dobsonville to the Johanneburg CBD and Ellis Park Station, with feeder services transporting passengers from Naledi to Thokoza Park Station, from Jabavu to Lake View Station and from Mofolo to Boomtown Station.
The final services scheduled for introduction on 3 May include a CBD distribution service to link the trunk services with Braamfontein, Wits University and Hillbrow.
Tickets will be available from trunk route stations and from approved vendors situated near bus stops. Look out for shops that have a sign indicating Rea Vaya tickets sold here. A community-based awareness campaign aimed at local shopping areas, clinics etc, will also be rolled out.
Affected operators from the taxi industry are poised to own and operate the first Rea Vaya contracted bus operating company. A Participation Framework Agreement has been signed which sets out how operators who are affected will become beneficiaries and shareholders of the new Bus Operating Company.
The City is also discussing with the negotiating team of affected operators a smooth transition and hand-over period to ensure ongoing level of services, especially as new routes are introduced to provide services during the 2010 Soccer Fifa World Cup.
BRT plans to transport 20 000 spectators to both Ellis Park and Soccer City on match days. Mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee, says: “We are convinced that we will be able to move spectators speedily and safely to the games and after the games are finished.”
“We are working speedily to complete the two stations at Soccer City to match the style and grandeur of the rest of the stadium precinct. The one station is on top of the Soweto Highway and pedestrians will have to travel by the longest man-made tunnel in Joburg under the freeway into the North side of the stadium.”
The planned completion for Phase 1B date is August 2011. This will run from Noordgesig to Highgate, Empire Road, Parktown, Metro Centre, Rissik Street and will join Phase 1A.
Moosajee said global best practice indicates that a slower rollout is desirable, and that BRTs are most successful if rolled out in ‘manageable chunks’.
For more details, visit www.reavaya.org.za