Integrated Rapid Transit system
The first phase of Cape Town's futuristic Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) system is being built right on our doorstep. From the end of March 2010 we will be able to travel to the city centre in a modern bus utilising a dedicated bus lane.
Here we will briefly summarise some of the more important aspects of IRT, more details about the system is available on the City of Cape Town website. The information on this page and the images are from the website and publicity material provided by the City.
What is an integrated rapid transit system?
The IRT ensures that all modes of public transport work together and is safe and reliable enough to entice people to use the system in priority over private transport. A major part of this is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, this is a fast modern road-based system.
The main reason for establishing a road-based system is the cost - it is much less costly to construct than any other type of public transit system like tram, rail, monorail, or underground rail.
The IRT will integrate different modes of transport in Cape Town, including Metrorail services, passenger bus services and minibus taxis. The system will also provide for improved pedestrian and bicycle access, as well as metered taxi integration and park-and-ride facilities.
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How will the IRT work
There will be two parts to the service:
•	Trunk routes
•	Feeder routes
On the trunk routes there will be separate, dedicated busways for special 18-metre articulated vehicles. There will be weatherproof, enclosed stations in the centre of the road on these routes.
The feeder services, with shorter 8m to 12m vehicles, will carry people to the trunk routes in normal traffic with stations along the side of the road.
All vehicles will have several wide doors that open level with the station platform - this not only allows lots of people to get in and out quickly, but also enables wheelchairs to access the busses easily.
The service will operate for 18 hours a day (from 04h30 to 23h30), and vehicles will be frequent - the frequencies range between a few minutes in peak hours and at least three times an hour when there is less demand.
Smart cards will be used for fares, these will be available at stations and also at shops and other outlets.
Fares will be affordable, ranging from R5 to R16 per trip depending on the distance travelled. Fares will also be integrated on most routes, so that you do not pay again when transferring to another route, eg from a feeder to a trunk route.
On the trunk routes there will be two-way cycle lane added to the road system, in our area this will run along the western side of the R27.
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Infrastructure
The stations on the trunk routes are glass structures and will all have ticket facilities, security and CCTV cameras, variable message signage and recycling bins capable of handling pre-sorted litter of up to six different kinds.
Design features include angled poles that protrude beyond horizontal roofs and large 'totem poles' to identify the stations. Cost and aesthetics were both important considerations in the design process.
The trunk stations are designed to sit in the middle of the road, but will need to deal with a variety of different space constraints, producing more than 13 design variations.
The dedicated busways will mostly be along the middle of the roadway, separated from the private transport lanes by raised kerbs. These will be too high for ordinary passenger cars to cross, but trucks could cross them. However all routes will be covered by CCTV and strict action will be taken against private vehicles transgressing into the busways.
An important aspect of the design of all bus stations and buses are that they can easily be accessed by wheelchairs. The stations have ramps and the buses have wide entrances for easy entrance and exit.
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Phase 1A
Linking the Airport and the Inner City area with the Stadium Precinct and servicing the Atlantis Corridor, Phase 1A includes the inner city and airport services, extending up the West Coast to include newly developed high-density residential areas and low-income communities such as Mamre, Atlantis, Doornbach and Du Noon.
The inner city service will provide a convenient, cost-effective way of getting around the CBD and City Bowl areas for the many thousands of people who live and work in this economic hub. From an operational cost point of view, Phase 1A is financially self-sustaining.
This phase is also being viewed as a 'demonstration phase' to showcase the system, as well as a way to test operations and make the necessary adjustments.
A trunk route will run from Doornbach in Potsdam Rd to Bayside in Blaauwberg Rd, then along the R27 to Milner Rd in Paarden Eiland where the route will move onto the old Paarden Eiland railway line. It will follow the route of the railway line underneath the N1 to the Culemborg area and then along Old Marine Drive and Civic Lane to Hertzog Boulevard where the Central Station for the City will be located. Some portions of this will be completed and in operation by the end of March 2010, the whole route should be in operation by July 2010.
In addition to this the trunk route will also extend to Sea Point via the Green Point Stadium. In the CBD there will be feeder services to the V&A Waterfront, and to areas like Long Street, Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Vredehoek and Gardens.
Phase 1A will also include a link from the Airport to the City - this link will initially use the bus lanes on the N2, and will also be completed by March 2010.
The rest of phase 1 begins later in 2009 or in 2010 includes the extension of the trunk route to Atlantis, including Melkbosstrand; and a trunk route from Century City, via Bosmandams Road, Koeberg Rd and Boundary Rd where it joins up with the R27 route.
There will be a number of feeder routes servicing these trunk routes - from Big Bay area, Sunningdale/Parklands area, Flamingo Vlei; Richwood, Montague Gardens, etc.
At Doornbach there will be a large depot to service and clean the buses, including staff facilities like lockers, showers, etc.
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Access to IRT from Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot will be served by a bus station on the R27 in the median just north of the traffic lights where Racecourse Rd ends at the R27. This is close to The Paddocks and very convenient for Royal Ascot residents and the adjacent parts of Milnerton.
Smart cards for fares will be available at the station, and probably also at outlets in The Paddocks.
Cyclists will be able to access the cycle lanes on the western side of the R27 at the intersection.
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Future phases
The other three phases will be rolled out over the next 10 to 15 years.
Phase 2 will extend into the all areas of the busy metro south east, including Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, as well as linking the southern suburbs.
Phases 3 and 4 will provide the service to Bellville and Durbanville, Delft and Blue Downs areas and also the greater Helderberg area.
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Operating the system
The business model is based on successful models used world-wide. Central to the model is a partnership between the public sector and private operators. Most of the operational components will be delivered through the private sector, with the municipality responsible for oversight and quality control.
The City is in the process of setting up public/private sector companies for each of the major routes. These companies will operate the system in terms of contracts between the City and the company.
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Involvement of the taxi industry
The main shareholders in the private companies being informed will be the existing bus and minibus operators. The taxi industry in particular will benefit from this as their employees will in future receive a stable income (salary), health and pension benefits, as well as leave benefits and a shift system meaning fewer working hours.
Staff will provided with uniforms, and at the depots there will be recreational facilities for staff. All employees will receive regular training to help their skills development.
The IRT will not replace the taxi industry entirely, but will reduce the number of taxis operating independently. Particularly in the initial stages minibus taxis will be important to transport people to the trunk and feeder stations.
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