Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works

October is a Public Transport Month (PTM)

26 September 2008

In September 2005, the Gauteng Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works launched the first ever public transport month (PTM) campaign in South Africa. Since then, the Department has annually use PTM to campaign and promote public transport as a preferred mode of transport. Through this campaign, the Department has raised awareness and mobilized the citizens of Gauteng to raise issues about the state of public transport.

This year, the Department plans to continue promoting public transport. The theme for this year's campaign is “ creating a lasting legacy for 2010 and beyond”

The main objectives of the campaign are:

To promote and raise awareness about public transport role and challenges in society, and turn it into Gauteng residents issue;
To encourage and mobilise the public and stakeholders to work in partnership towards sustainable mobility;
To promote non-motorised form of mobility and environmental benefits thereof;
To show case public transport programmes and initiatives which have a positive impact in society;
To raise awareness about the important role of public transport and the benefits thereof;
To ensure popular participation and partnerships for public transport transformation and improvements; and
To demonstrate that the province is at work (with public transport) to make FIFA 2010 World Cup a success.

The campaign targets members of the public, car users, public transport operators, media, environmental and non governmental organisations, insurance companies, cyclists, financial sector, fuel sector, motor vehicle manufacturing sector and other businesses. Some of the target market has in the past years become the Department's partners in campaigning for a better public transport for the province.

Some of the activities scheduled for the PTM campaign include the following:

Provincial Launch: On 02 October 2008, at the Sandton Civic centre, the department will launch the campaign and outline the provincial programme of the month and key successes of the department in the past five years.
Cleaning of Public Transport Corridors : On 10 October 2008, a group of volunteers will clean two rail way stations namely Park Station (Johannesburg) and Germiston Station.
Schools competition: Art Exhibition and Debate : School competition would be held at the Turffontein race course on 15 October 2008. The schools competition is a flagship programme of PTM. It encourages school children to express future public transport system through art. The debate will be amongst youth/learners on how car emissions contribute towards climate change.
Park ‘n Ride facilities promotion: The Department has earmarked the Premiership football match, to be played at the Coca cola Park on 14 October 2008 to put into action the park 'n ride system. It is further planned for most sports and entertainment events around Gauteng during the month of October. This will promote ride sharing and reduce cars on the roads and accidents during big events.

Other activities include:

The launch of the Metrorail police station at the Park station in Johannesburg
Public transport stakeholder indaba/summit at the Germiston Stadium on 05 October 2008.
Gautrain site visits;
Distribution of bicycles to specifically identified pupils in Sedibeng municipal area in a campaign known as Shova Kalula.

The Department will close the campaign with a banquet, thanking all the partners who assisted through the PTM campaign. The winners in the schools competition would be announced during the banquet.