In 2010 Rustenburg Local Municipality start planning for a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) service, and commissioned the services of a team to manage the project.

My role, from 2011-2014, was to establish a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly environment within the BRT route area, using a network of public spaces, and improving circulation around and access to public transport stations and stops.

I also developed an NMT policy, and an overall NMT network plan that addressed transport planning, signage, regulation, infrastructure, safety, access, environment and legislation, as well as NMT status and behaviour. In addition, a campaign was designed to raise public awareness about the role of NMT and its associated infrastructure in economic development, environmental protection, sustainable transport and poverty alleviation.

The detailed Scope of Work for the project is as below:

NMT policy

• Develop a NMT policy and conceptual/sketch plan for the entire Rustenburg, including:
  • Examine current NMT policy in South Africa, and current NMT practise in Rustenburg, through literature review, consultation with key stakeholders, general review of existing infrastructure provision, field studies;
  • Review existing plans and projects aimed at promoting NMT;
  • Assess the legal and regulatory framework and institutional arrangements for promoting NMT;
  • Identify broad stakeholder groups, leading to key informant/specialist reference group interviews;
  • Identify major trip generators, origins and destinations;
  • Develop vision and percentage mode share growth;
  • Develop primary and secondary objectives;
  • Identify key strategic themes/guiding principles such as access, equity, sustainability, transformation, socio economic development, poverty alleviation, integration and connectivity;
  • Develop problem statement;
  • Status quo analysis;
  • Develop policy statements that respond to the problem statement;
  • Develop and prioritise strategies/interventions in order to achieve the vision and objectives. Offer synergies of different interventions, finding combinations that are most effective in certain areas;
  • Suggest strategic sector responses (eg. Transport, housing, spatial planning, etc);
  • Develop NMT network: identify strategic locations where NMT should be a priority (eg public transport interchanges, bus and rail stations, routes to schools, areas of intense pedestrian activity;
  • Consider roles of national, provincial and local government, agencies and other stakeholders;
  • Facilitate comment process with key stakeholder groups and reference groups, and
  • Deliver draft policy and plan for approval process.

 

Trunk stations, feeder stops and CBD

• Conduct an audit of pedestrian conditions within at least a 500 metre radius of each BRT trunk route station (37 stations);
• Conduct an audit of pedestrian conditions within at least a 500 metre radius of each direct route stop or station (estimated at 50 stations/stops);
• Co-ordinate with the Urban Design Specialist provided by the Architect regarding NMT facilities around the stations precincts;
• Make conceptual design recommendations to improve pedestrian access to trunk and direct route stops and stations, including street lighting, pavement upgrades, street furniture, and CCTV cameras. This has to be coordinated with ITS team and architect team, and
• Develop concept sketches for NMT facilities and upgrades as identified in the NMT Plan in a radius of at least 500 metres around each of the 37 BRT trunk stations or the nearest adjacent intersection (whichever is the furthest) and along the 34 km BRT trunk route. The NMT facility concepts sketches should include the whole CBD area as defined in Figure 1. Amongst the NMT concepts to be addressed are sidewalks, cycle lanes, non-motorised signs and road-markings, pavement designs for the NMT facilities including colourisation, pedestrian lighting, placing of security cameras to be coordinated with the ITS team, street furniture, bicycle holding areas and areas for hawkers to be coordinated with the architect team.

 

Bicycle plan

• Conduct a conceptual siting and design of bicycle parking facilities at trunk stations;
• Develop a bicycle way plan that connects major origins and destinations to the public transport system; the plan shall consist of the recommended bicycle way alignments and analyse the type of bicycle ways by area (i.e. fully segregated bike way, on-street bike lane, etc.);
• Analyze the potential for a bicycle rental scheme and the siting of bicycle rental facilities within Rustenburg;
• Develop a conceptual design of a bicycle rental facility;
• Analyze the potential for other non-motorised transport modes such as pedi-cabs and the siting of facilities at key trunk stations or other areas within Rustenburg, and
• Provide a business plan/s for the integrated operation of a bicycle rental, pedi-cab services or other non-motorised transport services in conjunction with the public transport system.

 

Pedestrianisation

• Address the requirements for pedestrianisation.

 

Specialist NMT counts and surveys

• Prepare request for quotations for NMT counts, call for quotations from local Rustenburg firms, review tenders received, assist engineers to appoint them, manage sub-consultants, approve invoices and do quality control of the data.