Initiative launched to make Sandton bicycle-friendly (bus.day)

[nonky]

GROWING concern about traffic congestion in Sandton has prompted the launch of a campaign aimed at encouraging the estimated 9,500 motorists who drive into South Africa’s largest decentralised office node each day to ditch their cars for bicycles.

The DecongestSandton initiative could see the roll-out of at least 10 bicycle lock-and-charge stations to encourage the use of greener transport alternatives among employees in Sandton.

The Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA), in partnership with electric bicycle importers Cycology and Solid Green Consulting, are behind the company.

The initiative comes after the City of Johannesburg announced last year that it was investigating whether to support the safe use of bicycles in South Africa’s largest city. A pilot project for a bicycle and pedestrian programme in Soweto — linking seven schools, two clinics and railway stations — had been planned.

Jarrod Lewin, advocacy stakeholder manager at the GBCSA, said on Tuesday Sandton’s traffic gridlock was set to worsen, with a number of new high-rise developments coming on stream over the next two years.

New developments under construction or in the pipeline will see Sandton’s office market expand by about 20%, according to the latest figures from the South African Property Owners’ Association.

The new developments would result in the estimated 100,000 commuters, using all modes of transport, entering Sandton each day increasing by about 27,000 within the next two years, Mr Lewin said.

" That will lead to even further congestion and the undeniable frustration that accompanies it."

The initial phase of DecongestSandton will reach out to corporate Sandton to become part of a network of bicycle stations that will allow employees to cycle within the central business district (CBD). "We ultimately envisage bicycle commuting becoming as prevalent, if not a preferred, mode of transport within the Sandton CBD ," Mr Lewin said.

"Our dream is for Sandton commuters not only to cycle to the office, but also between offices for meetings, for lunches, for shopping and for getting to and from the Gautrain station."

Further, Mr Lewin said the campaign hoped to get motorists residing some distance from the Sandton CBD to park their vehicles at public transport interchanges near their homes. They would then travel into the area by public transport and use either bicycles or electric cycles to travel within the CBD.

Solid Green Consulting director Warren Gray said a big challenge would be to dispel the notion that urban bicycle-commuting was impractical and potentially dangerous. "At the moment, many Sandton motorists feel unsafe and as such are button-holed into driving, whether it is the best option or not."

A small drop in the number of cars could result in a significant reduction in gridlock.

"In many other global cities … the uptake of cycling by a small number of former motorists quickly creates a tipping point, with others more likely to follow suit," Mr Gray said.

Cycology CEO Vincent Truter said it was encouraging that local government was trying to promote a cycle-friendly Johannesburg.

The construction of cycle lanes in Orlando, Soweto, and in the area between the University of Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand was already under way.

 

http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/2014/05/21/initiative-launched-to-make-sandton-bicycle-friendly

[scorerb]

Great stuff, just concerned about the tendering process and the final cost/quality as a result. But a really awesome idea

[Spirog]

I live and work on opposite sides of Sandton About 16 km apart. I would love to commute on my bike. However, watching the way that idiots drive (while in the relative safety of my car), I'd be dead within days. I'm not scared of dyeing, I just don't want to die after being hit by some idea who can't live without TWITter for 30 seconds between robots!!

[rudi-h]

great idea, just not sure if it will be practical due to the hills around there. most of us here on the hub love riding our bikes uphill and we go through quite a bit of trouble to ride places that are not flat. however, if you are riding to work and don't want to build up too much of a sweat, sandton isn't ideal

 

i remember the rock run a few months ago where the run took us from the bottom of sandton drive all the way up to rivonia... That's not the type of ride that the majority of office workers would find appealing 5 days a week.

[kingalton]

cycle lanes - aka extra taxi lanes??

[RocknRolla]

Implementation is key, if they gonna implement like the reavaya, i would write this off as a colossal failure at launch.

 

I think we need to engage these cycology dudes to parhaps assist with the practicality aspect of these cycle lanes, as well as integration into the existing transport network, like gautrain and rea vaya feeder routes.

[DIPSLICK]

cycle lanes - aka extra taxi lanes??

HOW IS YOUR RECOVERY GOING

[D Vader]

Fantastic!

I cycle/ commute in and around this area regularly.

It is not as unsafe as people think, JUST BE VISIBLE.

I find JHB motorists mostly very considerate as long as you are seen.

Electric bikes for the people not wanting to sweat before work, and own power home, simple.

[Hot_Fuzz1]

So i spent some time in paris and London last year. I used the charge n ride bikes they have, works amazingly well! 1euro to use a bike and you can ride ir all over and then park it.

 

My issue is that , well....this is not Europe or UK. The bikes will be stolen, trashed and the money points broken and damaged to steal the money.

 

As for Taxi's well. I have been clipped a number of times, I commute every 2nd day from centurion to sandton and home, in summer and winter. So lets just say that GP is DEFFINATELY not ready for this.

JMPD has no respect for cyclists either as I found out last week cycling home, nearly got taken out by Mr Pig in his GTI and no lights or siren

 

I would love to believe that GP is ready for this , but i have no faith in the ANC, so I have no faith in this working in GP. Which is a huge pity.

 

I would rather have gautrain allow commuters to be able to bring their bikes onto the train as they do in europe.

https://www.google.co.za/search?q=european+trains+for+cyclists&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=pNV9U6GdErCg7Aa8uYC4CQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1440&bih=775#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=qoeI3V7d5eWYYM%253A%3B6gTAhGiOZcYmyM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.adventurecycling.org%252Fdefault%252Fassets%252FImage%252FAC_Online%252FJoe%252520Morris%252FIMG_0664.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.adventurecycling.org%252Fadventure-cyclist%252Fonline-features%252Ftour-it-yourself-cycling-in-europe%252F%3B300%3B400

[2wheelsgood]

I live and work on opposite sides of Sandton About 16 km apart. I would love to commute on my bike. However, watching the way that idiots drive (while in the relative safety of my car), I'd be dead within days. I'm not scared of dyeing, I just don't want to die after being hit by some idea who can't live without TWITter for 30 seconds between robots!!

 

I've commuted on the roads of Joburg for years, 3 of them in/around central Sandton. I'm still here, in one piece

 

Fear doesn't prevent you dying, only living.

 

 

Regarding the initiative - sounds great but they're going to have to either flatten the hills or make plans for public showers. In winter with some route and method planning it's possible to avoid working up a sweat, but in summer it'd be an issue for many.

Edited May 23, 2014 by 2wheelsgood

[nonky]

SA news

 

 

Author: Ray Mahlaka|

 

 

26 May 2014 00:28

 

 

Would you cycle to work in Sandton?

 

 

Corporate cyclers tackle congestion the eco-friendly way.

 

 

Imagine not having to deal with rising fuel costs or traffic on the daily commute to work – especially in Sandton.

This scenario could be possible with the roll-out of electric bicycles in Africa’s richest square mile.

Large-scale infrastructure developments are taking place in the area and in a few years Sandton will see more sky scrapers added to its skyline, as corporates move their headquarters to the city. The current office space is set to increase from 1.5 million square metres to 1.9 million square metres over the next three to four years. These developments are set to attract more people (a total of 126 000 daily) and cars, in what has already been described as Sandton’s biggest dilemma. (See the full scale of Sandton developments here.)

A decongested Sandton is thus essential.

Despite significant transportation investment to boost the use of public transport, including in the successful Gautrain and in future the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit System, there are calls for alternatives.

While it could be argued that there is some resistance to public transport use in South Africa’s major cities, through heavy reliance on private vehicles, Jarrod Lewin of GBCSA says this is slowly changing as people are becoming more aware of congestion issues and being stuck in traffic.

#Decongest.Sandton, a campaign aimed at getting Sandton commuters to heed the call to ditch their cars and cycle to work, has launched electric bicycle rides in the area to create awareness about easing congestion in the commercial precinct while being eco-friendly.

Opting for an electric bicycle could set you back between R14 800 to R35 000, for a bicycle with one or two batteries with a maximum speed of 25km/h to70 km/h (depending on the number of batteries the bicycle is fitted with). Users of electric bicycles can get up to six hours of battery life, with an option of paddling for mobility or the electrical accelerating option.

Electric bicycle and green mobility experts CYCOLOGY, the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and Solid Green Consulting are the main protagonists driving electric bicycle use in Sandton.

They aim to get multinational corporations to accommodate electric bicycles in parking bays, a model popular in developed nations such as London a significant proportion of corporates cycle to work.

Vincent Truter CEO of CYCOLOGY says the initiative to create awareness about green transit options is setting the tone for the development of bicycle infrastructure and a series of cycle stations throughout Sandton.

He adds: “While the roads agencies and engineers are developing traffic models that look at how to accommodate more cars, we firmly believe the solution is not about how to accommodate the cars, but how to get the Sandton community to use green modes of transport such as cycling and public transport alternatives”.

“The journey (bicycle rides) is geared at connecting you to the people, places and passions that will leave you inspired and informed on the latest developments in green building and green mobility,” adds Lewin.

GBCSA and CYCOLOGY reveal that many corporates, including Growthpoint Properties, EY, PPC and Royal Haskoning DHV have become open to cycling initiatives.

 

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/moneyweb-south-africa/would-you-cycle-to-work-in-sandton