Name of the Project
Gautrain additional rolling stock procurement programme.

Location
Gauteng, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), an agency of the Gauteng provincial government and Bombela Concession Company (BCC).

Project Description
The GMA is investigating the procurement of pre-owned rolling stock from the UK to address peak-hour congestion on the Gautrain system and is doing this through its concession agreement with Bombela.

This follows a tender process to secure 12 new four-car train sets for the Gautrain system having failed to deliver the desired results at the end of 2018, when none of the three short-listed bidders submitting a compliant bid. GMA is considering adding trains to the Gautrain system that are about the same age as the current rolling stock fleet and to upgrade the depot and signalling systems.

The GMA will aim to obtain seven 4- or 5-car train sets. These will operate largely on the Gautrain’s airport line, with the airport line’s rolling stock to be used on the congested north–south line. The rolling stock may be leased or bought.

Potential Job Creation
The GMA and BCC intends to refurbish and kit out the trains using local labour and material.

Capital Expenditure
The estimated cost is about R2-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
The GMA hopes to have the trains operational by 2022.

Latest Developments
Gautrain concessionaire Bombela has issued two tenders pertaining to the procurement of between five and seven pre-owned trains from the UK for use on the Gautrain system.

The first offers are expected to arrive at the end of February, says GMA CEO William Dachs has said.

The first tender involves the procurement of the trains, while the other is focused on the local refurbishment of the trains once they have arrived.

Dachs has noted that the GMA and Bombela have been forced to look to the UK for second-hand trains, as it has proved uneconomical to produce the low volume of rolling stock required locally. 

“We are looking for the most cost-efficient trains that can be deployed quickly to solve the congestion problem . . . during peak periods on the Gautrain," Dachs has said.

“UK operators currently have a number of trains available, as they are . . . refleeting.”

The specifications of the Gautrain are also largely similar to those found on UK rail systems.

Also, the local refurbishment process is expected to be of higher value than the cost of procuring the trains and this will create opportunities for local businesses, Dachs has noted.

Dachs believes that the acquisition of the new rolling stock will be sufficient to deal with passenger numbers until the end of the current concession in 2026, plus two years.

The GMA hopes to have the new trains operational by 2022 or 2023.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
GMA senior executive manager communication and marketing Dr Barbara Jensen, email barbaraj@gautrain.co.za.