Gautrain a big hit
Photo: Soon you will be able to take a train from Rosebank to OR Tambo airport
The number of train passenger trips was of course positively influenced by the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which ended on 12 July 2010. Another factor that caused a highe demand is due to ‘pleasure rides’ over weekends. The higher demand over weekends (pleasure rides) continued after the World Cup and holiday period, but is on a downward trend.
The weekday passenger demand decreased by approximately 27% after the World Cup period. Train daily punctuality performance for July was above the required norm of 95%, except for one day, where it was 91.5%.
The number of passenger trips on the buses was 14 428 during July, compared to 7 626 in June. The number of passenger trips for buses includes six weekday bus routes to and from Sandton station and one bus route to and from Rhodesfield.
On 8 June 2010, Phase 1 of the Gautrain System was opened for commercial service. The first phase operations included the airport train service between Sandton Station and OR Tambo International Airport, a commuter service between Sandton and Rhodesfield – with an intermediate stop at Marlboro Station - as well as dedicated feeder and distribution bus services to and from the Sandton and Rhodesfield Stations.
The Operations Control Centre, together with the train and bus depot facilities located just south of Allandale Road in the Midrand area, were also completed as part of the first phase scope of works.
The remaining sections of Sandton Station required for the Phase 2 operations will be completed by December 2010. These works include completion of the podium slab over the station complex, the remaining 2/3 of the parking facilities, the third platform to service the southbound line to the Rosebank and Park stations, an undercover taxi terminus and – good news! - the final reinstatement of Rivonia Road.
Within the Phase 2 tunnel section between Sandton Station and Johannesburg Park Station, civil works are approaching completion and the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment is ongoing.
By the end of July 2010, these works had been completed from Sandton to Rosebank Station and are well advanced along the remaining length of tunnel to Park Station. Tracklaying within the completed tunnel is progressing southwards from Sandton.
At Rosebank Station, works within the underground areas are in a similar state of completion to Park Station, with internal finishes well advanced and mechanical and electrical installations in progress.
The main entrance to the station and the parkade structure are located on the eastern side of Oxford Road. Construction of these is ongoing, with the final level of the three level parkade currently in progress.
There will be two other entrances to the underground station on the western side of Oxford Road, where lateral support piling has been completed and excavations are in progress.
Backfilling of the roof slab over the station box and the adjacent cut and cover structures was completed earlier this year. The phased reinstatement of Oxford Road over the station is ongoing, with the first section having been opened to traffic towards the end of June 2010 and works on the second phase well advanced.
The road reinstatement is being carried out on a phased basis to enable the two station entrances and the ventilation structure located on the western side of Oxford Road to be constructed.
