Peters hints at private sector participation in rail branch lines

Revitalising rail branch
lines would provide major
economic benefits for
South Africa, according
to minister of transport,
Dipuo Peters.
Addressing delegates
at the annual Road
Freight Association (RFA)
conference in Limpopo
recently, she said the
country’s attempts to
develop an integrated
transport solution were
aimed at creating more
efficiency that would
ultimately result in a
more globally competitive
country.
In this regard
transforming the rail and
maritime sector was of
critical importance to
improve the efficiency of
the main corridors.
“We have witnessed a
huge increase in freight
traffic of different types of
cargo,” she said. “We are
committed to improving
our rail capacity and
with unprecedented
funding we are rolling
out infrastructure
improvements across our
railway sector.”
In this
regard
she
said
priority
corridors
would
still be
given
attention
but
revitalising
branch
lines was
of growing
importance.
“This will
allow for
cross-cutting
between rural
and urban areas
and overcome
the urban bias to
development.
“We believe this
strategy will help to
resuscitate the small towns
that died off when railway
lines closed.”
She said while premier
of the Northern
Cape she was
involved in the
revitalisation
of the branch
line in Douglas
which at
the time was
nothing but a
dying town.
“This has led
to some real
economic activities
being developed in
Douglas that never
existed before. The
draft branch line
strategy will bring
major opportunity
to our small towns,”
said Peters. “We
are also exploring
the possibility
of private sector
participation in
this strategy.”