The impact of the port of Durban on the city's road network

Abstract

This study answers two key questions i.e. what is the volume of freight traffic generated by the Port of Durban and its overall distribution and what impact does the Port of Durban have on the City?s road network. This was achieved by quantifying the road based volumes (specifically heavy vehicle trips) based on Transnet?s Freight Demand Forecasts at the Port of Durban. The freight distribution patterns from the Port of Durban were then investigated. Finally, the impacts and costs the Freight Demand Forecasts from the Port of Durban have on the City?s (Durban) road network were investigated. The costs included accidents costs, environmental costs, congestion costs and infrastructure costs. The complex interaction of freight movement around ports can often be overlooked or misunderstood. This then leads to inefficiencies, inequalities, inadequate funding and unsustainability. It is thus imperative that planning authorities fully understand the multitude of port interactions, movements and impacts so that proper frameworks and policies can be established by all stakeholders to deal with ports.