Cape Town Airport Metrorail link delayed

[Steve Appleton]

From Railways Africa:
http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2010/07/c ... nk-delayed

CAPE TOWN AIRPORT RAIL LINK DELAYED

Posted on 02 July 2010 by Railways Africa Editor

Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) CEO Tshepo Lucky Montana, quoted by Engineering News, says the building of the proposed passenger rail line linking the Cape Town international airport to the city’s central business district has been delayed owing to “complications” over funding.

“He says the project has been put on a waiting list owing to difficulties in securing the budget and structuring a funding deal for the 4.6km, R2.1 billion project, as well as concerns from the city council that the project may diminish passenger numbers on its newly introduced bus transit system. Press reports suggest that the buses are carrying only 10-15 passengers on an average trip. 

“However, Montana says passenger volumes at the airport are expected to grow from eight million passengers a year to 15 million in a few years’ time. ‘No bus system will be able to carry this number of people.’”
He says the project has been put on a waiting list, though two bidders have already been short-listed for the project which “remains one of Prasa’s top priorities.”

(Actually the airport lies 19km from the CBD. The proposed 4.6km will be a branch off the Cape Town-Langa-Nyanga-Khayelitsha line. – editor)

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

The link should also be to the Northern and Southern Suburbs as I don't think that many people disembarking from aircraft actually travel to the City Centre. Like the Gautrain that goes to Sandton.