Speaker: Andrew Bulman of Arcus Gibb, the international engineering consultants contracted to the 2010 event. Bulman spoke as a representative of the City of Cape Town and a large consortium of seven companies who make up the transport planning team for 2010.

Bulman began his presentation by introducing the audience to the Host City Transport Operations Plan, covering the entire Metro. Explaining that his team were already on version three of the plan, and highlighting the commitment that the City of Cape Town has made towards transport planning in order to make thee 2010 event a success, Bulman noted that he had personally already been contracted to the project for three years. Explained Bulman, “Operational planning is already about two-thirds complete and we’re starting now with the key focus areas of resourcing and delivery – in other words, putting the plan into action.”

Focusing his presentation on the Central City for the purposes of the Forum, Bulman noted that the Cape Town Station would be the core of the transport hub around which everything else would function – namely the Fan Walk, the FIFA Fan Park on the Grand Parade, the long distance bus terminus between the station and the Civic Centre, as well as the Main Transport Hub in Hertzog Boulevard which would eventually serve the primary BRT trunk station around which all road-based public transport was being organised. Overflow event “Park ‘n Ride” facilities during the 2010 event would be located in the District Six area, part of the Culemborg area, and the area under the Foreshore freeways.

Although 2010 would leave behind a R8.5-billion legacy of transport infrastructure, the match schedule proposed for Cape Town would ensure that as little disruption as possible would be caused to traffic particularly during peak hours. According to Bulman, the City is fortunate in that six of the eight matches will be held at 8.30pm at night and a seventh would be on a Saturday, with only one scheduled to begin at 1.30pm on a weekday.

The Spectator Transport Services that will be key to the event are:

• The Airport Shuttle Service
• Public Transport Service to the CBD (including “Park ‘n Ride” facilities)
• An Inner City transport service
• A Stadium shuttle service on match days , and
• A V&A Waterfront Shuttle Service on Match Days.

These were the key focus areas for the team – the major pillar of which would be to make use of existing resources and integrate existing and future public transport services in order to be able to leave behind a viable transport legacy for Cape Town beyond 2010.

Turning this attention to the inner city BRT, Bulman noted that approximately 80 buses would serve the inner city on frequencies of three to four minutes in either direction, linking the Waterfront and the Convention Centre to the whole of Cape Town. Phase one would also include trunk services coming in from Tableview and from the Airport.

Explaining that a very important part of planning for the World Cup lay in accessing travel demand management, Bulman reported that currently 400 000 enter and leave the CBD every 24 hours with 60 000 per hour in the morning and afternoon peak – about 50% of that in private vehicles. It has been estimated that the World Cup would increase those numbers by only 40 to 50%. “So we’re not talking of doubling,” says Bulman. “Plus we have a number of suggested measures in place, including scheduling of holidays, flexitime arrangements, work-a-holidays, car sharing and having the event between five weeks of university and school holidays should reduce traffic by up to 20%. Think of how much easier it is to drive into town during the school holidays.”

There was also a misconception that road access throughout the city would be closed down for the entire 30 days of the event: “There will be some road closures and restrictions from lunchtime onwards on those eight match days, but that’s it,” said Bulman. “On all other days of the event, we’re looking at minimal road closures and minimal disruption to the traffic of Cape Town. Let’s be very clear on that.”

“On non-match days, the only real road closures we’re looking at are Plein Street and Darling Street around the Fan Park. There are no other planned road closures.”

Talking about the distance spectators would need to walk along the Fan Walk to reach the stadium, Bulman reported that during the UEFA Euro 2008, FIFA had deemed it acceptable for fans in Switzerland to walk up to 4km to reach one of the stadiums. “We thought no one would walk the 2.5km to Green Point Stadium, but our international experts said: ‘No problem!’”

Related posts:

1. Rail Summit to further develop Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan
2. Central City Road Update for Match in Cape Town on Monday 21 June
3. Public encouraged to use public transport for PSL matches at Cape Town Stadium
4. Park-and-Ride facilities ready for 2010
5. City Urges Capetonians to Take Park-And-Ride Options to Prevent Traffic Congestion