Gautrain progress

The construction site for the Gautrain flyover located at the Lyttleton offramp on the M1 highway between Johanneburg and Pretoria. The Gautrain is the rapid rail link currently under construction, an innovative and necessary development in our transport infrastructure. Prior to the start of the project much unfounded controversy raged as many parties objected to the concept. The trade unions argued that it will not benefit the poor. Opposition parties and other organisations argued that the cost was exhorbitant. Nevetheless the government went ahead and launched the project.

In my opinion it is a positive development with some vision and insight into the future. Public transport needs to be progessive and is urgently needed in this region. This is the intention of the rapid rail network that is being developed around the Tshwane and Johannesburg metropolitan centers.

This section of the rail network will be part of the link that will run South from Pretoria, through Centurion, Midrand, Sandton and on to the centre of Johannesburg. The line will service the commuter traffic to the rapidly developing industries that straddle the M1 highway between the two cities. The project may just be completed before the start of the Soccer world cup in 2010.