Developing design guidelines and a street furniture palette to guide the implementation of kerbside infrastructure supporting the go George bus system, George

Abstract

Many South Africans rely on public transport to access employment, education, healthcare and other essential services. 35% of workers in South Africa rely on public transport to access employment opportunities while 22% of learners use public transport to attend a pre-school institution, school, college or any other tertiary education or training institution (Statistics South Africa, 2022). The public transport system is not only about the in-vehicle trip, but also about the walk to and from the bus stop as well as the waiting experience. This takes place in the "kerbside" or "pedestrian realm" where consistent design and application along approach pathways and at bus stops will enhance the quality of the pedestrian environment and improve the passenger experience. Before the advent of GO GEORGE, minibus taxis and a few buses were the only forms of Public Transport operating in George. GO GEORGE is a scheduled municipal-run public transport service which evolved from an intention to improve mobility on the Sandkraal Road (now Nelson Mandela Boulevard) corridor. The GO GEORGE system was designed to allow the infrastructure requirements and responses to be adapted to the evolving system. Due to limited available funding, uncertainties about passenger uptake and to minimise wasteful expenditure, an “infrastructure light” approach was adopted. Since its implementation in 2014, the GO GEORGE system matured, grew and moved into the post roll-out phase, the focus shifted from providing the minimum infrastructure to: • Making transfer locations safer; • Developing the kerbside pedestrian environment to acceptable Universal Access (UA) design standards; and • Including a pedestrian sidewalk network that begins to build travel chain continuity. To guide this, a Draft Design Guidelines and Street Furniture Palette (Zutari Pty Ltd, 2024) was required, which offers not only guidelines but a range of design elements and combinations that can be selected for use in the furniture zone of the road reserve. The Palette offers comprehensive information to guide decision-makers, managers and contractors in the conceptualisation, placement and construction of transport infrastructure. The aim being to improve the quality of this experience and create safer pedestrian streets and public places, thereby contributing positively to a more walkable central business district (CBD) and liveable city. This paper will discuss all the elements considered in the Draft Design Guidelines and Street Furniture Palette developed. The palette and guidelines could potentially be upscaled and used in other public transport systems across the country, helping to enhance public transport as a mode of travel.