South Africa: High-Speed Rail Link Between Joburg, Durban 'Not a First Priority', Says Alstom
Wednesday, 04 August 2010 |  Jocelyn Newmarch  |  3 comments

Image by JarOd

Johannesburg — INFRASTRUCTURE group Alstom said yesterday it was interested in a proposed rail link between Durban and the new King Shaka International Airport, but cautioned that a high-speed rail link between Johannesburg and Durban should not be a priority.

In April, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele mooted the idea of a high-speed rail link between Johannesburg and Durban. While the Gautrain service between Sandton and OR Tambo Airport opened last month to positive reviews, it came with a R25bn price tag.
Critics have suggested the money could have been better spent on upgrading existing public transport.

But yesterday Philippe Roch, Alstom's director for business development in SA, suggested it would be better to focus on meeting commuter needs before pushing high-profile projects such as the Johannesburg-Durban high-speed train.

"It is absolutely possible in SA, not as a first priority, but as a second priority," Mr Roch said, but cautioned it would likely take 10 years.

Last month, Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana told journalists the rail link would have to be a combined freight and passenger rail operation to be viable.

Mr Roch said that combining freight and passenger rail would result in slower journey times. Passenger trains would not be able to travel at high speeds of up to 275km/h if they were to share the track with freight trains.

Freight trains carry much heavier loads, which result in differing maintenance and operation requirements.

Mr Roch said Alstom was interested in a proposed rail link between Durban and its airport, which would allow for an additional tram service between Durban, Ballito and Umhlanga.

"This is economic, affordable and could be profitable (environmentally and in terms of energy use)," he said.

Pre-feasibility studies are under way for the rail project between Durban and King Shaka International Airport.

Mr Roch said he expected a decision on the rail link would only be made next year by Prasa and Dube Tradeport, the cargo and trade zone of which the airport is a part.

But transport consultant Paul Browning said that dedicated bus services should be considered to transport passengers from city centres to airports, rather than trains.

Mr Browning was also not in favour of a high-speed passenger service between Johannesburg and Durban.

But he said an upgraded predominantly freight service, with a passenger component, between the two cities should be considered. This would allow freight trains to travel at 140km/h, which would halve freight times from the current 10 hours or more.

Source: allafrica.com

Picture Source: flickr