Travel and Transport
A very happy January to you all. We hope you had a well-deserved rest over the holiday season and are ready for much positive change in 2021. Not least of all by creating or updating your One Planet Living action plan for your business / school / organisation, to instigate sustainable change.
This is the final newsletter in our One Planet principles series and deals with that tough nut in the South African scenario, Travel and Transport. Speaking of Durban specifically, did you know that of the total city-wide Greenhouse Gas emissions, transport accounts for 41%[1]. Petrol and diesel are dominant fossil fuels in Durban, with diesel being particularly high due to high volumes of freight traffic from the port. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology has developed a Global Gridded Model of Carbon Footprints, and among the Top 500 carbon footprints of world cities, in other words, the world’s most polluted cities, Johannesburg is ranked 13th globally (domestically 1st) and Durban 102nd (domestically 3rd, Cape Town being in second place)[2]. The Department of Transport’s Green Transport Strategy (GTS), launched in 2018, identified road transport in South Africa as being the primary source of transport-related carbon dioxide emissions in South Africa, contributing to 91.2% of total transport greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the combustion of petrol and diesel.
[1] eThekwini Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2017
[2] Engineering News, 6 April 2020
To be consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the IPCC SR1.5 to limit global warming to 1.5 °C, there needs to be a global shift towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Durban’s Climate Action Plan, or CAP, sets out bold actions to do this, with transport being one of three key focus areas. The aims state that by 2030 Durban is to have 50% of commuters using public transport with an 80% reduction in transport related CO2 emissions by 2050 from a 2015 baseline year. The CAP recognises that residual emissions occurring in the transport sector are from private vehicles, and as eThekwini Municipality has limited control over this it would be dependent on lobbying national government to ensure effective transition of private vehicles. According to the CAP, private vehicles currently make up 54% of passenger transport and the South African aspiration is always to own a car. Shifting residents to use public transport in South Africa is a major challenge due to urban sprawl, this aspiration of car ownership and the access to / safety of, public transport. It is something our country needs to develop safely and securely. We believe that the Gautrain has been a good example of this, the rapid commuter rail system in Gauteng that links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekurhuleni and OR Tambo International Airport. Its success is promising expansion, with last year’s assessment report noting that the project had achieved its objective of contributing to the growth of the local economy and transforming commuting behaviour.
Around 98 million trips had been made since services began in 2010. Each trip had contributed R78 to the economy thanks to an average time saving of 22 minutes, worth R69; a reduction in fatal accidents, valued at R5, and savings in carbon emissions worth R4. Gautrain has also helped attract investment to the region with 59% of all office development activity in major Gauteng nodes located around Gauteng stations. Talking trains, Transnet moves 17% of SA’s freight annually[3] so there is room for growth here too, as would be a most transport and carbon efficient solution for the future. Sadly, most of our cities commuter Metro train systems are not in good repair with poor service and their being unsafe to use — an opportunity for the paradigm shift that we know has to happen in this country.
[3] Transnet Freight Rail 2020
Homing in on Durban again, the City has ambitious transport plans:
- It will continue to implement its integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN) Go! Durban, with a strong focus on Transit Orientated Development (TOD)[4]
- It aims to implement travel demand measures that will reduce existing private car trips by 50% by 2050 (tied in with TOD as mentioned above)
- It will provide mobility and non-motorised transport (NMT) systems to increase the use of NMT, and
- It aims to facilitate a switch of all vehicles to low-carbon options by 2050.
Already the municipality is developing plans to transform the City’s fleet to low emission vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrids in the nearest possible future.
[4] TOD is the exciting fast growing trend in creating vibrant, livable, sustainable communities. TOD is the creation of compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities centred around high quality public transport systems such as trains. This makes it possible to live a lower-stress life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and survival.
So, the gist is, for travel and transport, we have to:
- Make it increasingly easy for people to choose to live without a private car. Particularly where new / refurbished residential and office developments are concerned, there are new business opportunities here to think about like alternative transport systems e.g. shuttle buses to take commuters to and from their places of work, homes and major shopping centres, as an example. As part of SA’s Green Star rating systems of new buildings, transport is one of nine categories where credits are given to reward the reduction in automotive commuting while encouraging the use of alternative transport. Thus, targeting the real estate developer to think differently in terms of transport being an important part of a holistic ‘green’ design.
- Build neighbourhoods which are attractive and ‘permeable’, making walking and cycling the most convenient mode of transport. Again the ripe opportunity of new developments comes to mind.
- Formulate green transport plans including pedestrian and cycle networks, public transport nodes, car clubs and car-sharing, the latter yet again being another great business opportunity for South Africa.
Elsewhere in the world change is happening. Here are some global exemplars to amaze and inspire us:
In Copenhagen, there are Cycle Superhighways — Since 2012, Copenhagen has built over 167km of Cycle Superhighways connecting residential, educational and business areas of the city, as well as public transportation hubs and stations. Making cycling easy, safe and flexible for residents means over 400 million cycle journeys take place each year, with 6 million more expected each year with the expansion of the network. The goal of the project is to construct 746km of cycling paths connecting the capital and 26 local municipalities in a cohesive network. The finished project should reduce CO2 emissions by 1500 tonnes each year and avoid 2500 tonnes of NOx emissions.
In Guangzhou, China, there is Electric Vehicle bus conversion — Following calls from Guangzhou residents to tackle air and noise pollution in the city, in 2018, the City of Guangzhou converted its entire fleet of buses (11,220) to run solely on electricity. The new buses are part of a wider urban mobility sustainability plan, with 4000 EV charging points also being installed to encourage the private ownership of EVs. The electrification of these buses, as well as improving the health and wellbeing of drivers and city residents, is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 249,000 tonnes a year.
Curitiba: Bus Rapid Transit — The Brazilian city of Curitiba is known in transport and sustainability circles for being the ‘cradle of bus rapid transit’ (BRT), pioneering the concept and successfully implementing the system since the 1970s. Durban’s own Go!Durban BRT is modelled on the system which involves priority busways, bi-articulated five-door buses, and bus terminals with floor-level boarding and off-vehicle ticketing payment for ease and speed of access. The BRT system in Curitiba was an integrated transport and urban masterplanning approach, designed to facilitate the expansion of the city along five major corridors, protecting the heritage of the city centre and stimulating sustainable development. It was made possible through a partnership between the municipality and bus operators, who together achieved the integration of all bus lines, including with the creation of bus terminal interchanges and allowing passengers to purchase tickets valid across multiple services. The partnership has also managed to keep the costs of travel low (50 times cheaper than average subway travel), helping to make this an affordable and accessible transport system for all.
The system currently carries 80% of travellers, with 2 million daily passengers. Building upon previous success, since 2014 the municipality has been promoting the transition to 100% electric buses and has 30 hybrid buses that have reduced overall fuel use by 35% and reduced nitrogen oxides emissions (NOx). Durban has some way to go yet!
Utrecht — The Dutch city with world-leading cycling infrastructure — Utrecht has been leading the way in moving away from planning cities around the car in favour of pedestrians and the bicycle, and is now not only one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the Netherlands, but the world. The City of Utrecht municipality introduced the ‘Utrecht — we all cycle!’ Action Plan, containing activities and measures to support the transition to a cycle-orientated city. This action plan and specific policy measures were formed in collaboration with mobility consultants, local residents and organisations. This city cycling strategy is further supported by national policy, such as the requirement for homes to have access to bicycle storage. This policy approach has been transforming the city, see this extraordinary video clip here.
As of 2019 there are 245km of bicycle paths, 90km of cycling strips, and 18km of ‘bicycle streets’ on which cars are ‘guests’. At Utrecht Central station, there are now 12,500 cycle parking spaces — the largest in the world. The municipal government worked with ProRail and NS (Dutch Rail) to design and implement, and collectively manage this world-leading public-transport hub that promotes rail and cycling modes. Combined with other surrounding parking facilities there are 22,000 cycle parking spaces in close proximity to the station. The city also deploys ‘Pop-up’ cycle parking during busy city events. The culmination of this city-wide shift towards cycling means that of journeys to the centre, only around 12–15% are made by car, and 60% are by bicycle. There are now 125,000 cycle trips made through the city centre every day. Around 98% of households in Utrecht own at least 1 bike, and 50% own 3 or more. And impressively, removing car parking, widening pavements and increasing cyclability on central historic streets led to an increase in sales reported by shop owners.
Lessons from Utrecht and the wider Dutch expertise of sustainable urban cycling strategy are shared through the Dutch Cycling Embassy, a public-private network disseminating this knowledge around the world.
Finally, and never a popular one for drivers, a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) scheme, in Nottingham, England — Like most cities around the world, Nottingham faced transport-related issues, including rising carbon emissions, congestion reduced business competitiveness, and noise and air pollution. The solution, in the council’s Local Transport Plan (LTP), a pioneering Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) was introduced — the first of its kind in a UK city. Since 2012, employers have been charged for the parking spaces they provide for their employees and regular business visitors. The WPL encourages employers to have more responsible parking management plans and support their employees in alternative commuting.
It faced significant resistance from residents and businesses, reflected in local and national press, yet the local authority has taken steps to quell concerns, discontent and misleading media, for instance through creating a clear 1-page, 10 point “myth busting FAQ fact sheet. The positive impact of the scheme, however, has been dramatic. Revenues are contributing to the redevelopment of Nottingham Station, the extension of Nottingham’s tram system which carries around 17 million passengers a year and supports the Link bus network that provides around 3.5 million passenger journeys a year. Funding from the WPL supporting clean public transport measures has set the city on track for reducing air pollution to under the national limits, contributing to a decrease in transport-related carbon emissions by 33% in 2016.
Since the introduction, no businesses left the city. New businesses created an additional 1,600 jobs, and the tram and station improvement work has created 1,200 jobs. There has been around a 25% reduction in liable parking spaces, and this has freed-up valuable brownfield site land for other uses.
What of ideas that have been pioneered elsewhere and may be good for Africa?
Car club schemes — have been in existence for a long time overseas. These are short-term car rental services that allow members access to locally parked cars and to pay by the minute, hour or day. They offer an alternative model to private car ownership for individuals and businesses. Car clubs reduce the need for private parking and can help people living in big cities to give up their cars while allowing for occasional car travel if required that otherwise may be difficult on public transport e.g. to buy a ladder! Using a car club promotes a more considered use of a car and many schemes have electric options, so you can test run a more sustainable vehicle before committing to your own, if that is something you choose to do. Financially, becoming a member of a car club means that you don’t have the long-term expense of running and maintaining a car. Of course, there is a cost involved with car club membership but usually this is nominal — studies have shown that city drivers could save £1,500 (some R27K) a year by using a car club. This sounds like an opportunity South Africa needs to grab hold of for our bigger cities.
The stats look good too. According to Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMo UK), every car club vehicle takes 10 private cars off the road, with long-term members decreasing their annual household mileage by 793 miles. Looking at carbon emissions, car club vehicles emit 43% less carbon from tailpipe emissions compared to the average UK motor, due to the range of energy-efficient cars used in the schemes. The way of our future world, for sure.
Kicking things off in SA — along these lines is Why Buy Cars, whose strapline is ‘experience the future of having a car’. They offer short-term car leases so avoiding being locked into a long-term finance deal of owning one’s own car. The ethos is to offer an affordable, all-inclusive cost that takes care of maintenance, insurance and taxes, and includes free monthly kilometres on a range of vehicles. A car when you need one, and not when you don’t. Carpooling, perhaps more so in non-Covid times, had also started to take off in SA, with clubs such as Carpoolworld, CarTrip and FindaLift offering shared rides via online platforms. We hope they survive the period of uncertainty we remain in, to ultimately help minimize the increasing congestion our roads.
Elsewhere on our continent — electric bike companies are starting to pop up in several countries — in Namibia with E-Bikes for Africa and MyFoodness from Botswana. Ghanaian startup SolarTaxi, is scaling up its electric bike business. After a successful pilot in Kumasi, SolarTaxi incorporated an e-mobility company to help build on the outcomes of the project and grow its impact across Ghana and the continent. SolarTaxi offers electric bikes in Ghana under several models that help lower the traditional barriers to entry and helps accelerate adoption. These include a work and pay model and a rental service. SolarTaxi seeks to create environmental, social, and economic impact in Ghanaian communities by harnessing the renewable energy of the sun and using it to power vehicles. It regularly hosts technical training sessions around Ghana with strong emphasis on their Female Engineers Academy, where trainees undergo practical training on the assembly of electric bikes. Marrying sustainable transport with local economic development.
Don’t forget human-powered transport of goods — within key commercial nodes is a good idea, particularly when SA has such levels of unemployment. We have a great exemplar in Durban in the form of Asiye eTafuleni’s Inner City Cardboard Recycling project. Waste pickers salvage cardboard in public spaces as well as from local shops with whom they have developed relationships, using hand pushed trolleys; they then process the cardboard by flattening it and baling it, selling it immediately to a middle agent. Up to 150T of cardboard per day is collected and creates an income for those who most need it. This could be replicated in all our major City centres …. And include more items with value for recycling ….cans, glass, some plastics …. Be good for City clean ups too.
Overseas, cargo bikes are becoming more and more popular…see below, this from a laundry service in Oxford in the UK.
Talking cargo bikes but this time in SA, we have Southbroom Compost also doing the same thing, collecting organic fruit and veg waste from businesses by bike to turn into compost which is then used in a local community garden, please see our Zero Waste newsletter for more info here.
But what in the business world, in terms of transport?
The electric vehicle revolution is coming to SA but still at the high-end vehicle cost of the market. In this space GridCars have partnered with Jaguar Land Rover SA to successfully establish a national EV charging highway — the Jaguar Powerway — consisting of 22 charging stations along the N3 between Gauteng and Durban and the N1 between Gauteng and Cape Town. Cape Town is connected to the Garden Route with a series of charging stations along the N2 all the way to East London. The majority of charging stations on the public network are 60kWh fast chargers. With there already being 200+ EV charge points installed by various players in the industry across South Africa, Gridcar’s mission is to continually increase this number in order to drive SA’s Green eMobility revolution.
Charged by a zero-carbon mix, EVs would reduce South Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions by 67%, according to the collaborative multi-stakeholder uYilo eMobility Programme at Nelson Mandela Bay university in Port Elizabeth that focuses on enabling, facilitating and mobilising electric mobility in South Africa. The Programme has various activities that include government lobbying, industry engagement, pilot projects e.g. eBike sharing and eco-tourism mobility vehicles, enterprise development and thought leadership. Definitely a lot of room for progress here.
In the pipeline in the Western Cape, is the South African conceived and developed MellowVan that will enter commercial production in the near future. The electric three-wheeler, aimed at the last-mile delivery market, is being reviewed by retailers such as DHL, Takealot and Checkers, and will decrease localized air emissions at least, where they are used.
As already mentioned a big emissions ticket in Durban is from trucks. There is room for innovation in terms of the fuels trucks use, and on the commercial vehicle front, Daimler says there is definitely a demand for alternative drive vehicles in South Africa although diesel and petrol engines are unlikely to go anywhere in a hurry. They will bring electric trucks to SA when suitable products are available and when the local infrastructure can accommodate the new technology — likely in the next five years. Daimler Trucks in 2020 presented a preview of a purely battery-powered long-haul truck, the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul, which is designed to “cover regular journeys on planned routes” and should be ready for series production in 2024. The range on one battery charge will be about 500 km. Alternative drive trucks could also include the GenH2 hydrogen truck, which is aimed at the long-haul transport market, and according to Daimler will have the capabilities of the eActros with regard to traction, range and performance.
Companies can also switch to low carbon options such as LNG (liquid natural gas), see here, as company Renergen has developed a zero emission solutions for the cold-chain logistics industry. It is also opening a second major transport corridor (between Joburg and Cape Town, the first already open is the N3 between Durban and Joburg) for LNG, in conjunction with Total, this year.
Finally, what can we do to be the change we want to see?
Thankfully change is in the air in the transport space as the world attempts to decrease congestion and change our modus operandi with regard to travel and transport. With air pollution being one of the biggest threats to human health, accelerated alternative fuel deployment in global markets could solve the issue of poor air quality within cities, while also combatting increasing respiratory-linked deaths owing to the combustion of petrol/diesel across the transport sector.
We all need to play our part
- As individuals think twice before you jump in a car and rather think, can I safely walk or cycle this trip?
- If needing a car, think fuel efficiency and lowest carbon emissions as primary purchasing criteria — explore the electric car market if you can.
- Drive at 100kms/hr rather than 120kms/hr. Not only is it safer but it will save fuel (up to 1 litre of fuel over a 100km distance) and therefore carbon emissions, see here for more petrol saving tips.
- If transporting school children, ‘walking buses’ or lift clubs are a must where possible. Is this something that your school could formalise, as part of a Green Transport plan?
- Make use of public transport systems where there are. In central Durban and on the Berea two examples are the People Mover Inner City Bus Service and the Mynah Bus Service. Park your car at the Botanic Gardens and use the People Mover Service for meetings you may have in town or at the Waterfront.
- Lobby for safer public minibus taxi services. The government has initiated a process to formalise and regulate the country’s large, yet informal minibus taxi industry, with a view to making it viable and free of violence, see here for a discussion on this complex subject.
It forms a vital part of our transport network in South Africa. - Developers, think differently about transport to include it in your development plans. It is an important part of holistic ‘green design’ — seize the opportunity to reduce automotive commuting while encouraging the use of alternative transport which could create new business opportunities for small start-up businesses e.g. shuttle services.
- Corporate sector needs to rationalise their logistics i.e. ‘all trips full’ and look futuristically at new modes of carbon reducing transport as they come on stream.
- National government and Transnet need to improve rail infrastructure in order to improve haulage cost efficiencies and maximise carbon efficiency.
Time to go. And luckily with the current home office I don’t need to commute too far today. One silver lining in these difficult times.
