National Rail Policy makes headway

The National Rail Policy Draft White
Paper – which will lead to the creation
of a National Rail Act – looks set to go
to Cabinet for approval by early next
year.
“The consultation process concludes
by the end of next month and we believe
we will be ready to send it to Cabinet
by March 2017,” said
Hlengiwe Sayd, director
of rail policy and
strategy development
at the Department of
Transport (DoT).
She told FTW
that the absence of a
national rail policy to
guide the development
of the sector had
negatively impacted the
transport industry and
the country’s economic
growth.
“Rail’s poor market
share, and the ongoing
negative impact of trucks on the
roads, has necessitated the creation
of a National Rail Policy which will
form the basis of new rail legislation,”
Sayd pointed out. This will lead to
the eventual a creation of a National
Rail Act.
One of the major drivers of the
National Rail Policy, she noted, was
major investment in high-performance
national trade corridors. “We have
already identified four funding sources
and continue to look at innovative
funding solutions involving the private
sector,” said Sayd.
Development of new rail lines was
also being undertaken
in partnership
and consultation
with the Southern
African Development
Community (SADC)
states, she added.
“The need for
operational efficiency
and the importance
of rail integration
with other modes of
transport are both major
considerations that
need to be taken into
account around policy
development,” she noted.
She said that while Transnet
would likely still play a key role in the
management and implementation of
the National Rail Policy, the DoT also
wanted to see more diverse participation
in the sector, with policies designed to
encourage that.
INSERT & CAPTION
Development of
new rail lines is
being undertaken
in partnership and
consultation with the
SADC.
– Hlengiwe Sayd