Truck relief on track

THERE is an end in sight to truck congestion on the region's roads as hopes are pinned on increased locomotives to transport coal to the Port of Richards Bay.

This after Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) on Thursday announced it would ramp up the number of trains on the North Corridor (NorthCor) – a critical coal export line - in a bid to ease road congestion.

The move will bring the total number of trains on the coal service line to 28 per week, with a further seven set to be added in the new year.

“This equates to a volume of about 15 400 tonnes per week and an annualised tempo of 739 200 tonnes per annum, which is equivalent to 452 road truck trips per week and 21 747 per annum.

“The first four locomotives will be deployed over the next few days. Between December and March 2024, TFR will bring in an additional seven trains, resulting in 35 per week to the port,” said Transnet board chairperson Andile Sangqu.

Sangqu said the increase is a result of additional train capacity due to repairs.

He said there are further plans to implement a last-mile strategy, where road carriers will haul cargo to inland terminals.

Transnet will then conduct a shuttle service into the port.

“If successful, Transnet anticipates having the strategy operational by March 2024,” said Sangqu.

These efforts may be welcome for the region’s residents and city Mayor Xolani Ngwezi, who has emphasised that the municipality ‘will not continue to fund the failures of the port'.

“The demand for coal has resulted in a situation where the port is receiving at least 33 000 trucks per month," said Ngwezi.

“This number versus fewer than 50 traffic officers in the city – we end up deploying all our services to control the movement of trucks.

“That comes with costs, and impacts negatively because we then neglect law enforcement duties in other areas of the city and focus our attention on the N2 and John Ross highway,” he said.

The mayor further said the city is in the process of recruiting 20 reservists to focus solely on controlling truck movement within the city.

“We can’t say we don’t want the port, but we must balance its existence with that of other businesses and investors within the city who need to operate freely. No one must be frustrated,” he said.

Ngwezi said plans for the development of a truck stop on the John Ross are in motion.

“We have appointed the service provider that will manage the truck stop. It is 15 hectares of land that will accommodate 350 trucks,” he said.