The group operating the Gautrain is moving ahead with plans to purchase 48 new coaches to keep up with demand for the service.<\/p>\n
This is according to a report from MoneyWeb<\/a>, citing the Bombela Concession Company which opened up the bidding process for tenders with seven bidders.<\/p>\n The new coaches are expected to carry a price tag of R3.5 billion, bankrolled by the state-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa.<\/p>\n According to the report, the winning bidder will have to design, manufacture, supply and maintain the coaches, and 65% of development must happen locally.<\/p>\n According to MEC of roads and transport, Ismail Vadi, the R3.5 billion is not coming from the fiscus, and is considered a loan which must be paid back.<\/p>\n Government is expected to grow revenue by R450 million once the new coaches are put into the system.<\/p>\n To date, the Gautrain Rapid Rail System has \u201ctransported over 50 million rail passengers and currently carries 1.4 million passengers per month\u201d.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n 200km of additional railway is planned for development over the next 25 years, in accordance with the outcomes of broader Gauteng Provincial Government initiatives such as the Integrated Transport Master Plan (ITMP25).<\/span><\/p>\n Sandton car-free month boosts Gautrain numbers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on the Gautrain<\/h3>\n