The Gautrain is currently seeking R4 billion to increase its number of trains by 50% ahead of a potential expansion to other parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the Development Bank of Southern Africa is leading the fundraising – with Canada’s Bombardier, the CRRC Corporation of China and local firm Egoli Rail among the bidders to supply the trains.

The government-owned Gautrain is also planning to build a second depot, it said.

Bloomberg notes that the purchases will come ahead of a wider expansion that could see the Gautrain add a further 150 kilometres of track to its 80-kilometre network.

New routes

In 2017, the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) announced that it would be conducting a feasibility study into the expansion of the network, with 12 new train sets also required.

“The feasibility study concludes that the extension of the Gautrain rail network will provide significant economic and transport related benefits to the province and the country at large; that it offers value for money, and appropriate risk transfer if procured as a public-private partnership,” it said.

It added that through its modelling process, it became clear that the ‘cost of doing nothing’ in the province will lead to major road congestion in 2037 – at which stage cars will travel at an average of 15 kilometres an hour due to doubling of car growth.

The feasibility study identified the following main links and stations of the Gautrain rail network extensions:

On the link between Jabulani via Cosmo City and Samrand to Mamelodi, stations include Roodepoort, Little Falls, Fourways, Sunninghill, Olievenhoutsbosch, Irene, Tshwane East and Hazeldean.

The link between Sandton and Cosmo City has a station at Randburg.

On the link between Rhodesfield and Boksburg there will be a station at East Rand Mall and possible link-up with the OR Tambo International Airport Midfield terminal development.

A future link from Cosmo City to Lanseria Airport.

Coming soon?

In a statement at the end of October, the GMA said that the feasibility study for the proposed extension plan has now been completed.

This includes extensions to the existing Gautrain system and the feasibility study concludes that the extension project will provide significant economic and transport related benefits to the province, it said.

“However the decision for the extensions is not imminent and currently the GMA is engaging with the National Treasury on additional revenue models and demand studies,” it said.

“The GMA is also engaging with the National Department of Transport Steering committee as well as the SIP7 Steering committee.”

It added that it has just started the preliminary route alignment study for the Gautrain extension.

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