Transport for Cape Town (TCT) and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) have signed a memorandum of action (MOA), that will assist the City in addressing an investment strategy aimed at integrating all modes of public transport in the city.

The City says the MOA will assist in determining priority projects, programmes and interventions, as well as clear deliverables and accountability for these projects.

For certain projects TCT will take the lead and in others PRASA will be the accounting project leader with a responsibility to make the necessary resources available to ensure that projects are completed within the agreed timeframes.

“Investment in new rail infrastructure will focus on the areas where there is a big demand for rail, which we consider to be the backbone of the city’s public transport system, says Brett Herron, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member: Transport for Cape Town.

“ One of our main objectives is to integrate the rail and MyCiTi bus service so that commuters can easily change between the two modes of transport to reach their destinations – meaning we will be working towards creating one integrated timetable and ticketing system for rail and bus rapid transit (MyCiTi) as well,” adds Herron.

The following infrastructure investment projects have been prioritised by PRASA and TCT:

• Blue Downs Commuter Rail Corridor – new rail line to be built from Nolungile to Kuils River stations, to be operational by 2020

• Fisantekraal Rail Corridor – to improve the station facilities and increase the rail service along the existing rail line from Fisantekraal to Bellville and to provide MyCiTi feeder services along this line
• Bloekombos Rail Station – construction and commissioning of the Bloekombos Railway Station in Kraaifontein East to assist with the increasing demands for public transport in Bloekombos and Wallacedene and TCT to provide access roads to the station
• Modernisation – replacement of the signaling system, upgrading of stations
• New rolling stock and refurbishment – PRASA to work with TCT to determine the deployment of new rolling stock
• Cape Town International Airport link – to investigate the development of a rail line between the Cape Town central business district, the airport and Bellville
• Rail-focused public transport interchanges at Nolungile, Bellville and Cape Town station – the rehabilitation of the railway stations and the redesign of the public transport interchanges to integrate rail and the MyCiTi service.