CITY TURNS SOD AT REA VAYA SELBY DEPOT AND HANDS OVER BOOYSENS LAYOVER

(MMC) for Transport, Nonhlanhla Makhuba and MMC for Development Planning, Funzela Ngobeni during the sod turning and handng over of the BRT stopovers.

 

Nie Cele

Its official! City’s fast, safe and affordable transport system Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), has a new stopover in Selby.

Furthermore the Booysens layover completed in 2016 is now a bonafide property BRT after being officially handed over.

The sod turning event and handover was officiated by the City of Johannesburg’s Members of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport, Nonhlanhla Makhuba and MMC for Development Planning, Funzela Ngobeni.

 

According to the City, both the Selby Depot and Booysens Layovers form part of Rea Vaya Phase 1B projects.

 

It was further revealed that, development of the Booysens bus layover was conceived to cater for daytime requirements of the Phase 1B BRT operations which are on the Soweto to CBD route, via Auckland Park.

Likewise It is also meant to accommodate the assembly of the Phase 1B bus fleet and also serve as a dispatch point for the return trip to the main Meadowlands depot.

 

The City formally handed over this facility to Phase 1B bus operating company, Litsamaiso.

 

Makhuba told guests, that the newly acquired layover includes daytime facilities for drivers including a change room, kitchen and recreational area.

“I am sure that you are all as excited as I am about the construction going on before our eyes. I am sure that it is already unrecognisable from what it used to look at and before you know it, it will become buzzing with the sounds of buses being washed and repaired, of drivers being dispatched or chatting in the change rooms and canteen”.

 

Ngobeni said “Public transport and related infrastructure has been seen as an instrument for change with initiatives encouraging transit services to function at an optimum level and help contribute to reshaping urban form catalyse further development in the inner city and the City as a whole.”

 

Did you know? According to the City.

• The Selby layover was previously owned by Public Utility Transport Corporation (Putco).
• The Booysen project was completed in April 2016 at a cost of R41, 2 million rand. This included the building and a new intersection to join the Rea Vaya dedicated route.
• The selby Depot is expected to cost around R 250 million to complete and is intended to serve as the main inner city depot.
• The first phase entails the construction of the perimeter fence, bus parking area platform, site access road, administration building, main parking area driveway upgrade and the construction of the main entrance road into the Depot (along Pat Mbatha road intersection with Ignatius Street).

 

• Once completed the Depot’s main features will include an administration building, maintenance building, washing and refuelling bays and Intelligent Transport System (ITS) control centre.

 

• The administration block has the ablution facilities, canteen, offices and staff and visitors parking.
• The Depot will be utilized for major and minor maintenance of busses, by maintaining in service busses and out of service busses. It is anticipated that the entire project of Selby BRT Bus Depot will be completed by 2018.

 

• Both the Booysens Layover and Selby depot have created opportunities for the participation of local SMMEs.

 

• On the Booysens Layover project four (4) SMMEs were part of the implementation of this project, whereas a total of eight (8) SMMEs will participate in Phase 1 of the Selby Depot.

 

• Approximately seventy (70) job opportunities were created on the Booysens Layover Project and it is anticipated that the same number will be created on the Selby Depot project.

 

 

• Once completed, this depot will include administration and maintenance buildings, wash and refuelling bays as well as a new bus control centre which will be for Rea Vaya and Metrobus.

 

• These depot and holding facilities once completed will be owned and maintained by the City but leased to the bus operating companies at a nominal price.

 

• The bus operating companies are majority owned by ex-mini bus taxi operators.