Green BRT discussed at climate talks

Friday, 05 February 2010

IN the midst of global warming, humans need safe and effective alternatives to reduce their carbon footprints. Johannesburg has one such solution for its residents in the Rea Vaya BRT, an environmentally friendly method of mass transportation.

This alternative was a hot topic at the 15th Climate Change Conference of Parties, which took place from 7 to 18 December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Executive Mayor Amos Masondo was at the international gathering, where he met fellow city mayors to discuss "Low carbon transport - mass transit and green vehicles".

The roundtable session was attended by the mayors of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë; of London, Boris Johnson; of Kyoto, Daisaku Kadokaw; of Nantes, Jean-Marc Ayrault; and the secretary of the environment in Hong Kong, Edward Yau.

During the discussion, it became apparent that real solutions and groundbreaking initiatives were being developed and implemented in cities across the world. A podcast of the session can be viewed on the Hopenhagen Live website.  

"The purpose of the session was not only to meet other mayors, but also to actively exchange experiences and best practices within 10 areas that are crucial to green city development, be it in Nuuk or New York," said Toyah Hunting, the roundtable co-ordinator and pod concept producer.
Masondo, in a key note address, said that a new Climate Change Framework would be negotiated in Copenhagen. This would set new targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and put in place specific actions to address climate change.

According to Flora Mokgohloa, the executive director in the City's environment department, Masondo demonstrated that cities were at the centre of implementing practical programmes that reduced greenhouse emissions.

He shared lessons learned in implementing the first bus rapid transit system in Africa and how it contributed to reducing green house emissions, said Mokgohloa.

"Johannesburg is already becoming gridlocked like any other city in developing countries. More public transport is required; the City has to encourage ride sharing. [We need to look] at how we use parking tariffs to discourage people from using their cars but rather to use public transport; we need to look at flexi-time work arrangements and implementing traffic exclusion zones in some parts of the city."

Rea Vaya constitutes a green system since through using it, countless commuters can safely be accommodated, enabling them to leave their cars at home. This leads to less gaseous emissions polluting the air since fewer cars are used.

BRT buses run on low-sulphur diesel and replace a significant number of poor quality buses. They are able to accommodate either 75 or 112 passengers per vehicle.

Results of a study released in 2008 indicate that 382 940 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions would be saved through Rea Vaya. It is also estimated that these buses will save 1,6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 2020.

This form of transport has been designed to provide high-quality and affordable services that are also fast and safe. The BRT is a world-class transport system used in developing countries to combat congestion and provide better public transport.

"Johannesburg is on track to be a 'world-class city'. BRT is a model that has been adapted from South American cities. Johannesburg is setting a benchmark for African cities specifically," said Mokgohloa.

When he viewed the starter services on phase 1A of Joburg's Rea Vaya, Enrique Peñalosa, the president of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in New York, said that the "structure of Johannesburg's BRT is world-class".

He was responsible for introducing a similar system in Bogotá, Colombia, during his term as the mayor of that South American city.