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October is Transport Month, and the City will focus on safety - and getting more people out of private cars and on to public transport.  Rehana Moosajee, MMC transport says 60 cars and their passengers are equal to one bus TWO major events begin and end Transport Month in October, and both are important public transport launches. The official launch of the Baragwanath Taxi Rank, now almost complete, takes place in early October; and the opening of the first prototype of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station rounds up Transport Month at the end of October. Regional visits will be the main events during the month and will focus on various transportation issues, like road safety awareness and infrastructure projects. Primary schools from the City's seven regions will participate in a role play competition consisting of road safety and travel values messages. The Scholar Patrol Awards, Environmental Awareness Day and the Metrobus Driver of the Year Competition will also take place during Transport Month. On 2 October, the largest public transport facility in Johannesburg, the Baragwanath Taxi Rank will be opened, marking the completion of Phase 5 of the project. All major stakeholders, including representatives from the Johannesburg Development Agency, which has project managed the rank, will be among the 150 to 200 guests at the event. The City has been through a rigorous consultation process with councillors and the Rea Vaya External Advisory Team, which consists of bus and taxi operators and inner city businesses, to obtain preferences and suggestions regarding the optional components of BRT station design, like an urban African look, the Rea Vaya logo, seating, kiosks, naming of stations, and language for public information boards. The so-called "porcupine" design has been chosen for implementation, to be showcased at the Joubert Park station, which will be open on 31 October. Tall red metal light poles, resembling porcupine quills, stick into the air, over the station. Regional events
Regional events will kick off with an intersection awareness campaign at a major intersection in the region, followed by a visit to a local school to present the Pedestrian Angel School Road Safety show. The Johannesburg Roads Agency will then conduct a Letsema, or working party, for the local community. A transport dialogue will follow, with several topics up for discussion: travel values in communities; adopting the new public transport system; the Bus Rapid Transit system; and community interventions in curbing road deaths. Members of the dialogue panel will consist of a pedestrian, a public transport user from each of the modes - taxi, bus, and rail - a private car user, public transport operators and drivers, a cyclist, a representative for People with Disabilities (PWD), and an elderly person. Regional visits will take place on the following days: - Region A - 6 October;
- Region G - 10 October;
- Region B - 14 October;
- Region C - 24 October;
- Region D - 23 October;
- Region E - 29 October; and
- Region F - 22 October.
Road safety competition
An invitation has been issued to all schools in Johannesburg to produce a skit incorporating road safety and the five travel values of accountability, co-operation, honesty, respect and ubuntu. In the build-up to Transport Month, one finalist in each region will be chosen to participate in a Final Schools Competition to be held on 29 October. Schools will be judged on the content of the presentations, made up of seven members a team. External individuals from various organisations like the Automobile Association and the Roodepoort Theatre will be the judges. Sponsors will be approached to donate prizes. Metrobus events
Metrobus will host two events for its staff during Transport Month. The first is a Train-the-Trainer session to be held on 8 October. This programme will focus on customer service excellence and will empower chosen staff members to continue training within their organisation. Aspects that will be considered and aligned with the target market for the workshop will include communication and interpersonal skills, service concepts, risk management, decision making and conflict management. Metrobus will also hold a Driver of the Year Competition on 21 October. The build-up to this event has already begun, with winners being chosen in each depot. A final winner will be chosen in October. Scholar Patrol Awards
Scholar patrols are an important part of road safety education and are essential to enhancing the safety of schoolchildren. Not only do they regulate traffic, improve speed calming and facilitate safe crossing of the road, but they also instil in the minds of young pedestrians an awareness of the importance of road safety. The scholar patrol programme gets learners to assist their fellow learners to cross the roads safely at or near schools. "The learners in this programme play a pivotal role in reducing the number of scholar pedestrian accidents and it is only fitting that they are honoured during Transport Month for their sterling work," says Zwelakhe Mayaba, the acting executive director of transportation. This event will be hosted by the Johannesburg metropolitan police department with the support of the transportation department, the Johannesburg Roads Agency and emergency management services. Environmental Awareness Day
The department of environmental planning and management will undertake a blitz at major intersections to bring about environmental awareness, together with the transportation department's ridesharing programme. Sharing cars to take a journey means less traffic congestion, cleaner air, less global warming pollution and reduced fuel consumption. The member of the mayoral committee for transport, Rehana Moosajee, says the department is keen to demonstrate the principal of 60 cars and their passengers being equal to one bus, as a way to cut traffic. Environmental Awareness Day happens on 15 October. Miscellaneous events
The transportation department is also planning an event specifically for the taxi industry, still to be decided. On 21 October, a Transport Book will be launched. The book will cover a history of transport in the struggle, up until the launch of Rea Vaya. It will be distributed to city libraries. Car-free day takes place on 20 October. On this day, residents will be encouraged to leave their cars at home and get to work using public transport. Moosajee says the department is keen to pose the question to motorists: "Can you contemplate life without your car?" Related stories: |
