ITS

ITS-type applications have been in existence in South Africa for many years. Most notable is the SCOOT (Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique) that was implemented in the 1980s in the coastal town of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province. Other examples are variable message signs, emergency response systems, vehicle tracking (for vehicle security) and fleet management systems which had not been formally recognised as ITS until around the mid-1990s.

The discussion of ITS as a concept to be considered in transport provision and management probably started in earnest in 1997 with the first seminar, hosted by the CSIR. ITS became more structured and focused when standards for electronic tolling were elevated as an issue in 1999. At about the same time, the Electronic Management System (EMS) of the taxi recapitalisation project was recognised as a potential ITS building block that could trigger widespread ITS development and implementation.

The EMS was envisaged to be a control unit fitted to new minibus taxi vehicles with upgraded safety specifications, with the purpose of managing and regulating taxi operations. The system included an electronic fare collection system. Although the taxi recapitalisation project has suffered severe problems, resulting in a number of extensions of deadlines and changes to the EMS concept, the discussion on rolling out a national transport smart card is still continuing. The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) responsible for rail commuter operations also released a Request for Proposals for an EFC for rail commuters in 2002. It is envisaged that this tender will soon be awarded.

Notably, the South African Society for ITS (SASITS) was established in 2002 and launched with an inaugural bi-annual international ITS conference. The 4th SASITS International Conference and Exhibition will take place on 6-8 March 2007 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria. Since the establishment of SASITS, the ITS fraternity in South Africa has grown in leaps and bounds. Numerous projects have been launched in the fields of traffic management and ICT, with the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban area) and the City of Cape Town being particularly active.

Probably the most important ITS development in South Africa is SANRAL’s ITS Pilot Project, initiated in 2004. This project intends to demonstrate the benefits of ITS in the management of freeways. The project consists of an optic fibre communication backbone installed over a length of 24 km of the Ben Schoeman Freeway between Pretoria and Johannesburg in Gauteng, with 65 CCTV cameras providing 100% visual coverage of the respective section of freeway, as well as speed/flow measuring equipment at 2 km spacing additionally providing for future ramp metering. A fully equipped Network Management Centre is also included in the project, which is currently being expanded to link up with the traffic control system of the Johannesburg Roads Agency.