THE UK Government announced key initiatives to support regional development, trade, and investment in rail infrastructure at the 2024 conference convened by the Southern African Railway Association (SARA) in Johannesburg.
British High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, announced that new UK funding would support Crossrail International and Transport for London to share their expertise in support of inclusive economic development in Southern Africa.
Crossrail International, formed to share lessons from the £19-billion (R 450-billion) Crossrail project in the UK, will provide technical assistance to SARA, support SARA in implementing regional policies and regulatory reforms, enabling cohesive network planning and sustainable investment under their long-term masterplan. Crossrail International will also assist in developing the business case for the Railway Centre of Excellence.
This approach will be underpinned by a research project to benchmark the SADC rail industry for capacity enhancement and information policy reform and management.
Transport for London (TfL), which facilitates 3,3-billion journeys annually, will also provide technical advice to South African local governments to enhance passenger rail services in major metros and share TfL’s experience of delivering decentralised rail operations to increase public transport access and affordability.
Speaking at the event, Phillipson said: “We are excited to be part of the effort supporting sustainable development in Southern Africa, fostering collaboration between the UK and SARA to promote regional growth through rail infrastructure development.”
Executive director at SARA, Babe Botana, welcomed the progress made through the Joint Steering Committee and acknowledged the flagship projects which are intended to kick start the implementation of the LOI signed SADC Railway Regional Strategic Plan 2023 to 2027.
Botana said: “This relationship demonstrates the power of international partnerships, in strengthening the collective capabilities of our organisations to drive our regional railway agenda.”