October 13, 2006
By JoNews Reporter
TRANSPORT officials are encouraging motorists to make use of lift schemes – much like RideSmart, Rea Vaya, the ridesharing initiative set up by the City of Johannesburg.
This is part of a nationwide campaign to cut down the congestion on the country's roads. Schemes involve encouraging the use of public transport and giving incentives to private vehicle users.
According to the Gauteng MEC for public transport, roads and works, Ignatius Jacobs, motorists can assist by obeying the rules of the road, leaving their cars at home and using public transport, including using ride-sharing, or lift-clubbing.
Jacobs was speaking about the introduction of a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane that will operate on the N1 highway between Johannesburg and Tshwane from 23 and 27 October.
The 36km route will run from St Andrews Road in Joburg to Rooihuiskraal in Centurion.
With more than 160 000 cars travelling on the freeway between Johannesburg and Tshwane each day, the HOV lane is a dedicated lane set aside during peak traffic times for vehicles with three or more occupants. Motorists will be informed about which lanes to use via information boards set up on the N1.
These boards form part of an intelligent transport system (ITS), which uses cameras and message boards set up along the N1. Motorists will be kept informed of traffic and road conditions on a particular stretch of road via the ITS, which will also allow the traffic authorities and emergency personnel to respond to traffic jams, bad road conditions and accidents.
"The intention is to utilise technology to provide useful information for a less stressful driving experience," Jacobs said. "Traffic authorities will be more responsive to hazardous incidents and delays, thereby contributing to road safety [as one of our objectives is also to reduce road fatalities]. But most importantly, ITS will assist tremendously in combating vehicle crimes, identification of expired vehicle licences and outstanding traffic fines."
The ITS is a pilot project is being tested in Gauteng with the intention of expanding it nationally.
Johannesburg's Rea Vaya scheme, launched at the beginning of October to coincide with Public Transport Month, aims to help motorists find people with whom to share lifts.
Its objective is to cut down the total number of individual journeys during the morning and evening peak periods, so alleviating traffic congestion during those hours and saving the environment.
"We want to encourage people to stop driving on their own to work or gym and start sharing rides with people who live in the same area," said the City's deputy director for transportation management, Alfred Sam.
Ridesharing is a flexible and convenient way to get people where they need to go, at any anytime. The programme targets people with private vehicles. Those who are interested can register their names and travel details at the RideSmart help desk on 011 407 6699 or go to the Rea Vaya website.
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