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Rail developments should receive same treatment as roads

13th June 2014

By: Natasha Odendaal

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

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With Southern Africa’s transport costs twice that of the global average, the region should stimulate the development of its rail infrastruc-ture the way governments pursue their road network initiatives, Southern African Railways Association (Sara) executive director Bernard Dzawanda has argued.

Road networks are rolled out based on the overall economic benefits of the infrastructure rather than profit accrual for the road operator, while the roll-out of a suitable rail network span- ning the Southern African region should be devel- oped in the same manner.

“It is in countries’ best interest to develop a sustainable rail network,” Dzawanda said. “We should just say let there be rail.”

The cost per ton per kilometre of cargo moved on rail was cheaper than transport by road, with improved fuel efficiencies, he explained at the Sara Rail conference, held in Midrand from May 27 to 29.

The development and increased use of rail would improve each country’s economic and financial sustainability, while easing pressures on the environment.

But underinvestment in the sector has con-tributed to capacity constraints, missing rail links and maintenance backlogs, leaving rail transport at a competitive disadvantage.

Companies are continuing to excessively use more expensive modes of freight transport, which further hiked the cost of doing business.

Dzawanda noted that this had also led to a reduction in the proportion of rail infrastructure worldwide.

In the 1960s, rail accounted for 30% of all infra- structure globally; but by 2010, this had declined to only 6%.

The Rail Road Association’s Gorman Zimba said the Southern African rail network was ready for the implementation of the region’s road-to-rail migration; however, the incorrect model for driving the rail industry’s growth was being applied.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Magazine Managing Editor

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