Development of an ITS strategic plan for Gauteng

Abstract

Paper presented at the 22nd Annual Southern African Transport Conference 14 - 16 July 2003 "National issues affecting the movement of people and goods - strategic approaches", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa. ABSTRACT: Transport is vital to the fabric of the Gauteng province. An efficient transport system is an essential requirement for the healthy working of an urban economy, and for the well being of its citizens. An urban environment whose transport networks are congested, unreliable, and inaccessible risks losing its most important assets - its business and its people - to places where these problems are less evident, thus resulting in urban sprawl. The Gauteng Government has launched a Congestion Management Strategy aimed at reducing the level of congestion on Gauteng’s roads. The Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) strategic plan is one action that will support this strategy, and give guidance towards technology solutions in congestion management and other applications. The paper will focus on the process for developing an ITS Strategy i.e. stakeholder identification, inventorizing existing systems, analysis of regional transportation needs, assessment of the potential for ITS as well as a specification for requirements of the ITS strategic plan. The paper will conclude by identifying the key ITS thrusts for the province and suggestions on the way forward.