A Strategic Review of Public Transport User Needs in the Cape Metropolitan Area

Abstract

This paper reviews user needs and current public transport operations in the Cape Metropolitan Area. It shows that public transport services are currently unsustainable in terms of increasing subsidy requirements as well as not effectively meeting user needs. Proposals to restructure the public transport system and to use Stated Preference techniques to identify and address user needs are put forward. At present strategies to restructure the public transport system are being drawn up so there is no evidence on the success or otherwise of these proposals. Clearly therefore effective monitoring strategies will be needed to track the effectiveness of these proposals in meeting policy objectives. There is clear evidence that Stated Preference (SP) methods offer a cost-effective method of providing appropriate market research information on the likely response of users to changes in the public transport system. In South Africa however, the developing context within which SP methods are to be applied is often significantly different from conditions in developed contexts. SP techniques will therefore frequently require innovative adaptations and sometimes different approaches to those most commonly applied in developed contexts. This will provide fertile grounds for the development and transfer of such adaptations and techniques between developing contexts.