40th Annual Southern African Transport Conference 2022

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/87212

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Analysis of the influencing factors of shared bike transfer to rail transit
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Wen, C.; Hu, J.; Tang, R.; Zhang, W.
Based on the field survey data of Nanjing Andemen subway station, from the perspective of travelers, this paper deeply analyzes the problems related to the transfer between shared bicycles and rail transit, obtains the influencing factors affecting the travelers of Andemen station to use shared bicycles to transfer to rail transit, and calculates the index weight of each influencing factor by analytic hierarchy process, It is concluded that the main influencing factors of shared single vehicle transfer to rail transit are vehicle condition and average transfer time in convenience. Finally, based on the evaluation results, the optimization suggestions are put forward.
Robust transport planning: conceptualising the citp and iptn plan under deep uncertainty
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Cooke, S.; Swart, M.; Naidoo, K.; Holderness, C.
The transport planning profession is becoming increasingly aware of how uncertain the future is. The level of uncertainty in transport planning and decision-making has intensified ‒ as it has in a number of spheres of policy ‒ in the face of climate change, political and economic instability, technological innovation, and changing consumer preferences (Lyons, 2016). COVID-19 has accelerated many innovative and disruptive transitions, expanding the set of plausible futures and compounding the ‘deep’ uncertainty that we have about planning for a future that is decades, and many crises, away from the present (UN-Habitat, 2020). Conventional transport planning practices conceal uncertainty by relying heavily on historic cause-effect relationships, and result in misplaced confidence in our predictive abilities (Marsden & McDonald, 2019). This presentation outlines the development of the Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) and Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) plan in the City of Cape Town using new transport planning practices that try to grapple with the deep uncertainty we’re facing in long-term transport planning in South Africa. The new approach brings together new techniques from the climate adaptation, Decision-Making under Deep Uncertainty (DMDU), and sustainability transitions research fields into transport planning. This development process has resulted from a unique knowledge co-production arrangement between academia and local government that was started in 2017. The lessons from developing this new transport planning approach together, which still meets the established CITP and IPTN plan requirements, will be relevant to those cities across South Africa, and many others in the Global South, who are looking to embed more resilience in their transport planning system in the post-covid era.
Frank views from an operator on the sustainability of brt services in south african cities
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Noge, M.
Central to a well-functioning economy is the effective facilitation of the movement and transport of people and goods. There is a positive correlation between efficiency, accessibility, affordability of transport infrastructure, improved services, and economic activity. Mobility options are integral for consumers to access education, healthcare and for job seekers looking for employment. Increased efficient public transport systems facilitate and make it easy for commuters to move from place to place. Therefore, collectively as an industry and greater stakeholder community, we must advocate for and seek to promote a narrative that supports government policy and legislation that is pro the Bus Rapid Transit system. A system that makes socio-economic sense particularly for an emerging economy like ours (South Africa)
Cycling to public transport stations: the most sustainable transport mode combination
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Onderwater, P.; Da Silva, E.
The Netherlands is regarded as one of the most prominent cycling countries in the world. It also has one of the best railway systems in the world. Interestingly, the combination of ‘cycling to railway stations’ has a very good mode share, as it has many advantages: it expands the catchment area of stations and is often faster than congested road traffic. In this paper the authors will explore if and how we can use this transport mode combination for the South African context. In a project to optimise Gautrain services, the authors have explored what could be done to promote a mode shift in the access/egress to/from Gautrain stations, with Hatfield Station as a pilot. We suggested a cycling network with dedicated lanes along major arterials and mixed-traffic on quieter streets, and secured bicycle parking at the Gautrain station (and elsewhere in town); as well as a bicycle-share facility for ‘the Last-Mile’ in combination with an already existing bicycle-share programme for the University of Pretoria. In this paper, the authors have explored some other conditions that need to be fulfilled, to implement this for public transport stations such as the Gautrain, Metrorail, BRT, bus and taxi ranks. Ideally, over-time, this could facilitate cycling as a preferred transport mode in South Africa.
A laboratory procedure using the dynamic cone penetrometer for assessing the suitability of materials for low volume roads
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Pinard, M.I.; Hongve, J.; Paige-Green, P.
In order to minimise the cost of constructing low volume roads (LVRs), optimum use must be made of locally available, naturally occurring materials. However, conflicts often arise between material acceptability, as defined by conventional test methods and specifications, and material suitability in terms of actual engineering performance as a “fitness-for-purpose” road construction material. It is crucial to adopt appropriate test methods and specifications for selecting acceptable construction materials to avoid such conflicts. This paper presents a laboratory procedure using the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) to assess materials' suitability for use in LVRs. This approach enables materials to be selected based on their “fitness-for-purpose”. It prevents suitable materials from being rejected based on one or other traditionally specified parameters not being complied with, even though their strength, as measured by the DCP penetration rate (DN value in mm/blow) of the soil, may be adequate. Investigations of the properties of a wide range of locally available materials that have been used successfully in the construction of LVRs have confirmed the validity of the materials evaluation framework.
Women, mobility and mode choice in South Africa
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Cheure, N.
Gender influences the travel behaviour of individuals. The travel behaviour differences between men and women in African countries have been researched in the past few decades. These differences have still been observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the changes in travel patterns are different between men and women. Many researchers have noted that in households where a car is available, men usually use the vehicle more than women, and this is true for South Africa. Travel surveys conducted in Gauteng province, South Africa, to measure changes in travel patterns during the pandemic were used to analyse the gender influence on travel patterns. The results from the analysis conducted showed that more women were negatively impacted by Covid-19 than men, with seven percent decrease in the number of employed women compared to a two percent decrease for men. Before Covid-19, a higher percentage of men worked from home and both men and women increased in percentage to working from home due to the pandemic, with a ten percent increase for women, and eight percent increase for men. This led to an even distribution of the number of people who worked from home during the pandemic for men and women. The results shows that though public transport use declined for both men and women, the proportional change was lower for women. Some women shifted to car use, which is explained by the increase in car driver mode for women, and a decrease in this mode for men. However, when comparing public transport use, more women still use public transport more than men. This might be one of the reasons why women are more concerned about hygiene on public transport (59.3%) more than men (49.8%). More women highlighted that they decreased their number of trips when Covid-19 started compared to men and were planning to increase the number of their trips after the regulations were eased. Overall, the results highlights that the impact of Covid-19 on women differs from that of men. Women have less flexibility to adapt their travel patterns when faced with restrictions due to disasters or pandemics.
Procuring urban rail transit infrastructure by integrating land value capture and public-private partnerships: learning from the cities of delhi and hong kong
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Li, X.
Worldwide, the private sector has actively participated in delivering transport infrastructure assets such as urban rail transit (URT) networks and systems. Typical Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) approaches used to deliver URTs have been Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreements or variants thereof. Generally, however, PPPs have been unable to provide governments with value for money and concessionaires with sufficient operating revenues. The corollary, in this case, has meant that governments have been drawn to consider alternative forms of financing to procure and support the economic viability of their URTs. Land value capture (LVC) has been identified as a potential finance mechanism that can be integrated with a PPP to ensure its economic success. This session will be divided into four parts. First, we will provide a review of URT PPPs that utilise LVC across worldwide projects. Then we will examine the success and failure of URTs procured using PPPs with LVC based on the experiences of Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Rail and Delhi Airport Metro Express. Drawing upon these two cases and current literature, we will propose a conceptual model that integrates land use and finance to assist policymakers with the procurement of their commuter rail. In the end, we will discuss the implication of our developed model for procurement policy and its potential application in the context of South Africa.
Correction model for hs-wim systems based on pavement temperature and vehicle speed
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Otto, G.G.; Franceschi, L.; De Melo Gevaerd, B.; De Souza, R.A.; Valente, A.M.
Weight enforcement is essential for highway infrastructure conservation. Overweight vehicles represent an exponentially higher degradation for the pavement then those inside the legal limits. They also represent increased danger to their own safety and of the other road users, due to the possibility that the excessive load compromises the truck’s ability to maneuver and break efficiently. However, performing high-precision weight measurements nowadays demand that the vehicle reduce their speed in order to enter weight enforcement stations. In this aspect, high-speed weight-in-motion (HS-WIM) technology is a viable alternative, where the vehicles’ weights are measured in operational speeds. However, current HS-WIM systems face a challenge of increasing their accuracy in order to compete with low-speed weighing systems. In this context, this paper presents a statistical model for error correction in HS-WIM systems as a function of the pavement temperature and the measured speed, which are parameters that are repeatedly shown to be related to error in these systems. The proposed model is based on a set of fitted linear equations that are created considering temperature and speed intervals, which are determined according to data collected in the field with known-weight trucks. A practical application of the proposed method is presented that shows that it is capable of increasing the system’s performance both by displacing the average closer to zero and also by reducing the deviation of the resulting errors. Therefore, the proposed method is presented as a tool to increase HS-WIM systems’ performance, in hopes that it contributes to the growth of HS-WIM technology and its viability in practical applications.
Challenges faced by women amid covid-19 pandemic in the transport industry
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Matshwane, M.
The South African transport sector entered the age of Covid already beset by several major challenges. Ageing infrastructure; a lack of impartial regulatory bodies; an unfriendly environment for private sector collaboration; over-reliance on roads for both public transport and freight; and a skewered subsidy model are a few of the structural obstacles that were present. Covid-19 has both highlighted and exacerbated these hurdles and must force the industry out of complacency. The challenges it faces must be viewed as opportunities with the problem areas providing a guide as to the solutions that can be delivered with maximum impact, where they’re most needed. Pre-Covid studies had positioned transport among the high impact, high potential growth sectors that have been earmarked for priority interventions (along with sectors like financing, petroleum-products, metals, and construction). All of these have the potential to induce cascading benefits that ripple throughout the broader economy, but perhaps none more so than transport. The role of transport in an economy is double-edged: it at once serves the demand of other sectors, and drives national and industrial competitiveness at the regional, national and global levels, through enhanced process efficiencies and cost improvements.
Using continuous calibration to improve wim accuracy in commercial vehicle operations
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Ezeanowi, B.; Haichert, T.W.
This paper describes an innovative approach to tyre pressure and condition measurement using an automated system that is capable of checking tyres in a non-invasive, non-stop manner. In addition, real-world examples of work being conducted in the United States and the Netherlands are described, and the potential impact of improper tyre inflation and anomalous tyre conditions is explained. The tyre anomaly and classification system are becoming widely accepted by North American enforcement agencies for screening commercial vehicles for unsafe tyres. Much like earlier pre-screening technologies such as Weigh-in-Motion and e-screening, tyre anomaly and classification systems enable high throughput of commercial vehicles at inspection facilities while improving safety. As underinflated tyres negatively affect fuel economy, the system may also be used to identify vehicles that are not operating at maximum fuel efficiency. What about road surface condition? This has been a significant focus for European agencies seeking to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Tyre anomaly and classification technology is being integrated with smart mobility and smart city transportation systems that have environmental and congestion reduction goals at the centre of their focus.
Good practice case studies: children’s safety prioritized at schools in mogale city
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Jonsson, B.
The South African Road Federation (SARF) undertook a total risk assessment of initially 89 schools in Mogale City considering the road environment, socio economic aspects and current road infrastructure. Fifty schools were selected for further analysis, and out of the fifty, twenty schools with the greatest need for upgrade were selected. Different methods and tools were used to assess and select the schools, such as the iRAP Star Rating for Schools, especially designed questionnaires, crash data analysis, site specific visual assessment of infrastructure, and engineering judgement. The assessment considered quantitative measures (no. of children in the school, age of the children, income levels, mode of transport, traffic volume of the road network, etc.), qualitative measures (level of road safety awareness at a school) and spatial development measures (proximity of schools to major roads, proximity to beer gardens/taverns, location of crashes, population density, land use, proximity to other schools, etc.) Working closely with the Mogale City Engineering Department, SARF implemented measures to mitigate the road safety risks at nine of these schools and measured the impacts afterwards. The measures included improvement of the infrastructure facilities around the schools such as building dedicated walkways, visible road signs and road marking, speed humps and pedestrian crossing points.
Truck silhouettes analysis with wim data on a63 motorway
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Quoy, O.; Jacob, B.
Beyond enforcement of commercial truck weight regulations, weigh in motion (WIM) devices provide detailed data very useful to analyse road freight traffic characteristics. This item presents results on silhouette analysis on motorway. Detailed but anonymised data coming from A63 motorway WIM devices were provided by Cerema to Atlandes.
The future of wim in southern africa
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Van Der Walt, M.; Leseane, L.
Operations at Traffic Control Centres (TCCs) are not optimal. Issues are experienced with geometric design (queuing times and space in particular), effectiveness and accuracy of Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) screening equipment, availability and cooperation from traffic police, slow weighing procedures, errors caused by the human element, potential for bribery and corruption, ageing technology and lack of integration of interrelated processes and systems. The negative effects of these issues are amplified by significant growth in heavy vehicle volumes, particularly on the major freight corridors, and consequent pressure on weighbridge throughput. A further major concern is that overload control efforts are limited to specific weighbridge locations while the remainder of the road network remains unmonitored and uncontrolled. Time wastage of law-abiding, compliant freight companies due to congestion at weighbridges, inaccurate WIM screening, repeated weighing at several weighbridges on the same route during a single journey etc. are detrimental to freight logistics, the economy at large and create negative sentiment within the freight industry. It is evident that the current overload control methods in South Africa need to be scientifically assessed to determine how they can be optimised and better integrated and to quantify what improvements could be realistically achieved. Furthermore, the use of technology has lagged behind over the years and innovative ways need to be explored using the latest technology and automation to not only improve weighbridge operations but also cover a much wider area of the road network and find alternative and more efficient and effective approaches to law enforcement.
The new normal for coastal states
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Eriksson, O.; Gregory, K.
Safe and efficient maritime transportation is vital to both economic and environmental sustainability. Marine Aids to Navigation (AtoN) are key to helping all types of vessel navigate safely and efficiently and Governments have an international obligation under the IMO Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention to provide them in accordance with the volume of traffic and degree of risk. The aim of IALA is to foster the safe, economic, and efficient movement of vessels, through improvement and harmonisation of AtoN worldwide, for the benefit of the maritime community and the protection of the environment. This aim can be achieved through coastal States implementing the IALA standards to create an effective network of aids to navigation that both enhance the safety of navigation and the efficient movement of vessels. The IALA standards provide a framework for harmonization, supported by a suite of guidance documents providing options, suggestions, and best practices as to how AtoN may be implemented for maximum effectiveness. The IALA World-Wide Academy, through its strategy of enlightenment, education and engagement can assist coastal States in the implementation of the IALA standards and compliance with the SOLAS Convention through a range of activities designed to increase national operational and technical capability. The new normal for coastal States includes new types of risk as marine navigation becomes more digitized and ships become more automatized, remotely operated and even autonomous. This development requires coastal States to be proactive and well prepared for what the future will bring.
Systems approach to coastal and marine tourism – challenges and opportunities
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Zulu, V.B.
Coastal and Marine Tourism has the potential to lift many rural and coastal communities out of poverty. The Coastal and Marine Tourism industry characterised by complexity, uncertainty, interdependency and connectedness to a number of systems. To address this complexity, uncertainty, interdependency and connectedness, this paper argues for a systems thinking approach to coastal and marine tourism. The author will discuss systems thinking concepts, the structure of coastal and marine tourism and their related systems. Four causal loop diagrams and systems thinking archetypes are used to discuss coastal and marine. The Ugu District, KwaZulu-Natal will be used as a case. By engaging in the practice of systems thinking, stakeholders can identify and collaborate towards addressing structural weaknesses, avoid unsustainable solutions and avoid unintended consequences that undermine coastal and marine tourism potential. Success in developing coastal and marine tourism ecosystem can result in increased job creation, income and local development.
Sustainable aviation fuel production in south africa: potential and opportunities
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Chireshe, F.; Reeler, J.; Bole-Rentel, T.
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are key for the decarbonisation of the aviation industry to meet the climate goals under the Paris Agreement. Given its wide feedstock base, South Africa is well placed to produce significant amounts of SAF, both for domestic use and the export market. However, the price competitiveness of the SAF and its potential to meet rigorous sustainability criteria needs to be assessed. The presentation will provide the main findings from a techno-economic assessment and logistics optimisation study that identify the SAF production potential in South Africa and associated production costs for locally produced SAF that would meet strict sustainability criteria. Additionally, we present an assessment of socio-economic benefits of a domestic SAF industry based on localisation and employment creation potential, as well as the possibility for fuel import substitution. The presentation will also include some key recommendations for establishing a SAF industry in South Africa.
The use of drone technology to evaluate and report pavement conditions in south african airports
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Maloka, T.K.; Elsaigh, W.A.; Honiball, J.E.
Airports in South Africa are required by law to provide adequate maintenance to their pavement infrastructures as to ensure serviceability and operational safety at all times, for the continuity of their business and services. Runways are key facilities on the airport which should be maintained at times. In recent years, drone technology as a tool in the project life cycle has gained recognition by the civil engineering industry locally and internationally, as a potential technique that can be used by airport industry to aid the maintenance of its pavement infrastructure. This research paper explores the possibility of introducing drones to the airport environment to aid the inspection and maintenance of airport pavements. The aim is to test the willingness of the industry to adopt the drone technology in the South African airport and to explore the approaches currently used for runway pavement maintenance. This was done by designing a survey questionnaire to be administered to selected participants that are based in 20 major airports in South Africa. The outcome of this research study will assist in the airport facilities environment to carry out scheduled pavement inspections on the airport in a speedy manner.
Using multicriteria analysis to select alternative surfacings for low volume roads
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Pretorius, C.J.; Hartman, A.M.
A large portion of the road network in developing countries in Africa consist of Low Volume Roads (LVRs). Funding for upgrading and maintenance of these roads pose a challenge for roads authorities as their limited budgets are mainly aimed at highways and major corridors. Isolated communities bear the burden of inaccessibility to markets, education and health facilities. As part of a study that was launched by the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) an investigation into alternative surfacings to gravel roads was conducted in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. A stakeholder engagement process, designed around several workshops, was used to gain insight into the needs of the community. The local roads authorities, local engineers and technical pavement experts were involved in the selection of surfacing options which would be most suitable for implementation. Several other aspects of the surfacing types were investigated such as the initial construction cost, anticipated maintenance costs and life cycle cost. An exclusive multicriteria analysis, which used the outputs from the different costing scenarios and the workshops was conducted, and a Monte Carlo simulation was completed to select the most appropriate surfacing solutions.
Requirements for updating of the truck tractor (tt) wim calibration method
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) De Wet, G.
The Truck Tractor (TT) Method has been used for the routine post-calibration and quality management of weigh-in-motion (WIM) data in South Africa for more than ten years. In its initial form it was called the FTR (Front-axle Truck-tractor Ratio) Method, and was first presented at the International Conference on WIM in Paris in 2008. The quality and stability of reported axle loading and overloading information on the major toll routes in the country improved significantly since the TT Method was introduced. The TT Method uses the truck tractors of a sub-population of articulated 6- and 7-axle trucks in its data-based calibration process. The default target weight for these truck tractors is 21.8 t. Initially the calibration factors produced by the TT Method were remarkably accurate (typically to within ± 3%) despite the method being very simple. The TT Method did not maintain its original level of accuracy over the past decade because of gradual changes in the South African vehicle fleet. Indications are that the default target value of 21.8 t for truck tractors is currently about 5% too low. It needs to be replaced with a variable calibration target that takes cognizance of the unique characteristics of each WIM location. The new target should among other things account for the split between short and long wheelbase trucks, the proportion of 6- vs 7-axle trucks and the general degree of vehicle loading. The method needs to maintain a balance between accuracy and complexity. A first prototype of the enhanced TT Method has been developed and the results look promising. Once proven successful the method will be integrated into the smGolem software that is used for the routine processing, calibration and quality management of WIM data on the major toll concession projects in South Africa.
‘Pedestrians don’t build the economy’: why walking policies don’t match policy outcomes in african cities
(Southern African Transport Conference, 2022) Benton, J.; Jennings, G.; Walker, J.; Evans, J.
There is currently a limited understanding of the underlying barriers and enablers in African cities that may influence the development of walking or pedestrian policies and the implementation of existing policies. A recent review of institutional and political factors affecting walking and urban transport policy in Africa suggested that more insight is needed into the political processes and decision-making in transport in Africa. This paper contributes insight into these processes by sharing formative research around the gaps between walking (or NMT/Non-Motorised Transport) policy statements, and policy outcomes, in African cities. This research involved in-depth interviews with thirteen key informants from transport and planning sectors across the continent, undertaken to facilitate further engagement with policy and decision-makers in African cities as part of a training event in East Africa in June 2022. Through asking questions about how walking is currently valued as a transport mode in Africa, the authors identify five hypotheses for why walking policies do not match policy outcomes in African cities. This paper is based on work published in a project report funded by UKAID through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office under t

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