South Africa to revamp transport infrastructure

South Africa is to invest over US$6.5 billion in the country’s transport infrastructure in a bid to reduce road deaths.

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said that commuter rail infrastructure, identified as the safest mode of transport, will receive the lion’s share of the allocation as her ministry pushes to shift passengers from cars to into railway stations. To achieve this target, Peters said US$5.1 billion will be spent on commuter rail infrastructure and new rolling stock over the next three years.

A further US$1.4 billion will be channelled towards bus subsidies in the 2014/15 financial year to encourage a shift from private cars to public transport such as rail cars, thereby reducing road traffic.

The programme will see a total of US$93 million spent during the 2014/15 financial year, and a further US$99 million in the 2015/16 financial year to upgrade the ageing road infrastructure to ensure quality and safer roads, the minister said.