Untangling transport (2021)
Facilitating an integrated transport network has emerged as a key priority in the Gauteng City-Region (GCR). Within this vision is the aim of improving overall mobility across the region. In recent years the GCR has seen significant investments in public transport infrastructure and operations. Major investments include the Gautrain, Rea Vaya BRT and A Re Yeng BRT, altogether new systems supplementing the existing public transport options that operate in the region. These investments aim both to improve commuting for current public transport users and, over time, encourage a modal shift from private car usage to public transport.
Despite the vision for an integrated transport network across the GCR, and current enhancements underway, there remains limited alignment between different public transport systems, and between public transport options and other transport modes, notably walking and cycling. As a result, navigating the GCR remains difficult, expensive, time-consuming and confusing.
The Untangling Transport project explored various aspects of the GCR’s transport network, and in particular how emerging data collection methodologies could be used to enhance understanding of how people traverse the region. This research was intended to gain a deeper understanding of the current transport system, and to improve the information and knowledge base required to promote cross-mode integration within the GCR.
GCRO partnered with Lindsay Blair Howe and Markus Ringel on an exciting and innovative project, which used a mobile phone app, MyJoziMoves, to track travel patterns within the GCR. The myJoziMoves project ran from October to December 2016, collecting trip data for individual users' daily commuting across Gauteng. These 'diaries' of cellphone-tracked movements have the potential to provide unprecedented strategic insight that could be used to inform transport policy and settlement development choices. The project report, Mapping as a social enterprise: Implementing tools in the Gauteng City-Region, can be downloaded here.
Outputs
GCRO outputs
Culwick, C., Katumba, S. and Trangoš, G (2015) 'Transforming transport in the Gauteng City-Region', GCRO Interactive Visualisation October.
Wray, C., Götz, G. and Katumba, S. (2014) 'Look for work trips', GCRO map of the month, December.
Culwick, C., Everatt, D., Gotz, G., Katumba, S., Trangoš, G. & Wray, C. (2014) ‘Getting to work in the GCR’, GCRO Interactive Visualisation October.
Publications
Howe, L. B. (2021). Thinking through people: The potential of volunteered geographic information for mobility and urban studies. Urban Studies (online first).
Culwick, C., Gotz, G., Katumba, S., Trangoš, G. & Wray, C. (2015) ‘Mobility patterns in the Gauteng City-Region, South Africa’ Map graphic, Regional Studies, Regional Science Journal. 2(1), 308-310.
Last updated: 29 June 2022
