Light rail transit and its land use implications

Abstract

Cost effective public transport systems that do not exert excessive negative impacts on the environment are needed in South Africa. Light rail transport is a mode that is not yet in South Africa, but which offers these possibilities. The concept of light rail is briefly touched by a discussion of the vehicle, its rail reserve and stops. The influence of light rail on land uses is discussed below. The Vancouver experience is discussed to indicate the influence of light rail on metropolitan level, and San Diego is treated as an example of this transport mode's impact on local land use. The structure plan for Atlantis (a new city with a planned population of 500 000 developed 45 km north of Cape Town) is discussed below. A transport study has indicated light rail as a suitable public transport system for this project. The transport study will be discussed briefly, after which the influence of the concept of light rail on the planned urban form and the development of the development will be explained.