Question NW1747 to the Minister of Transport

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13 September 2016 - NW1747

Profile picture: Carter, Ms D

Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Transport

(1)What level of co-operation exists between the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and local authorities; (2) whether there is a framework to guide such co-operation; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) what success has been achieved?

Reply:

1.There is a long standing relationship between the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and various local authorities across the country. The establishment of Rail Steering / Liaison Committees was done many years ago, still in the days of the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC), with various local and district municipalities.

More recently, in terms of the National Land Transport Transition Act (NLTA), the establishment of Intermodal Planning Committees (IPCs) is required. To quote the NLTA “Every municipality that is establishing an integrated public transport network or has significant passenger rail services in its area must… establish an intermodal planning committee consisting of the prescribed technical officials and prescribed representatives of rail operators”.

Many IPCs have already been established, in which PRASA is an active participant and have to some extent replaced some of the Rail Steering / Liaison Committees. In the event where an IPC has not formerly been established, the co-operation between PRASA and the local authority continues through the existing committees or project related steering committees. PRASA reports to the Executive Authority on quarterly basis on the activities and progress regarding the work of the IPCs, as part of the Shareholders Compact.

2. The function of the IPC, as per the NLTA, is to coordinate and integrate public transport as well as non-motorised and freight transport. In addition where there are significant passenger rail services in the area, the intermodal planning committee must facilitate the conclusion of appropriate service level agreements between the municipality and the PRASA.

  (a) Terms of reference for the committees, as required by the NLTA, have been developed

  (b) The close co-operation between the parties has resulted in good co-ordination and alignment of plans and projects across the country. These include :

  1. Integrated Transport Plans
  2. Integrated Public Transport Network development
  3. PRASA Strategic Plan
  4. Joint projects (station precincts)
  5. Development of Memoranda of Action (MOA)
  6. Sharing of information

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