Gauteng’s 25-year Integrated Master Plan includes transforming Johannesburg into a sustainable, active, city with accessible public spaces for all. Here’s how the City will work towards turning this vision into reality.
Sustainability, active lifestyles, human interaction, and great public spaces: these are characteristics synonymous with 8-80 Cities. These are cities that work for an 8-year old and an 80-year old, and the City of Johannesburg intends on creating spaces that do just that. In 2012, international expert in liveable cities Gil Peñalosa presented a public lecture in Johannesburg on the 8-80 Cities model – bringing his international experience to South Africa. He said the model promotes walking and cycling, not forgetting urban parks, trails and similar public spaces. Activities such as these improve the environment and human health, advance economic development, and boost transportation systems. Out and about Over the last few years, Johannesburg has been developing ‘walkable’ cities such as the infrastructure in Ivory Park, consisting of new pavements, benches, landscaping, public art, designated taxi park lanes, kerbs and stormwater drainage. According to Rehana Moosajee, member of the mayoral committee for transport in Johannesburg, transport is not only about the motorised kind, but people too.The Ivory Park project focused on infrastructure that would enable walking or cycling – the most sustainable way of getting around. Poor planning Due to poor spatial planning in the apartheid days, Johannesburg faces a huge problem: efficiently moving its people from outlying areas such as Soweto into working hubs such as Joburg CBD and Sandton. The city’s Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) is a very important document to guide how Johannesburg will provide, integrate and support public transport. The last plan expired in 2008 and a new plan went under review in 2011 (ITPs last five years), which considers affordable public transport, convenient and accessible transport, and a transport system with reduced crime, collisions, injuries and fatalities. Another consequence of the lack of efficient public transport systems, comes congestion, and the poorly maintained taxi ranks and train stations add to this problem. Ultimately, there are too many cars on Johannesburg’s roads and a comprehensive plan, such as the ITP, is needed to ease the gridlock.
Long-term thinking
Launched on 19 August 2013, the 25-year Integrated Transport Master Plan (ITMP25) for Gauteng has been described by Ismail Vadi, MEC for Roads and Transport, as more than a transport plan. “Building on the 5-year Gauteng Transport Implementation Plan, [BK1] it sets out a strategic framework to better the lives of Gauteng residents and position our province as a great place in which to live; an attractive destination for investment and tourism,” he said during his launch speech. “It proposes a radical paradigm shift in spatial and transport planning.” The ITMP25 is built on the principles of economic beneficiation, which means. The plan proposes eight key interventions: subsidised housing provisions, land use densification in support of public transport, reinforcing the passenger rail network, extending the integrated rapid and road-based public transport networks, strengthening freight hubs, ensuring effective travel demand management, mainstreaming non-motorised transport, and ensuring continued mobility throughout the province. Overall, the future transport system in Johannesburg is dependent on a shift in transport modes from motorised to non-motorised; private to public transport; and road to rail. “The situation will be even more threatening when we become comfortable with the current transport realities,” Vadi continued. “Residents will live through the nightmarish scenario of unparalleled traffic gridlocks. So, to do nothing is not an option at all.” Although not officially approved, elements talked about within the ITMP25 have already been implemented. It can be seen in the latest addition to the Gautrain route – Park Station; the launch of Rea Vaya Phase 1B in October last year, which will connect residents in outlying areas to major public hospitals such as Helen Joseph and Parklane Clinic, as well as educational institutions; and the revamp of the Newtown Precinct to a walkable area. And if government departments, provincial offices, municipalities, residents and the private sector pull together, the ITMP25 will be realised and Johannesburg will not only be renowned as a world class city, but an 8-80 one, too. My land, my heritage In August and September 2011, the City of Johannesburg embarked on a process to formulate a future strategy known as the 2040 Growth and Development Strategy (GDS). This is the City’s business plan that will run for the next 30 years. Share your comments around livable cities, resource sustainability, health and poverty, transportation, community safety and the like. Join the conversation on Facebook: GDS2040 or Twitter @GDS2040.
