By Ontiretse Motingwa

Dineo Nakedi, a North-West University (NWU) transport economics honours graduate, conducted research on the need to establish efficient public transportation in non-metropolitan areas.

The title of her study is “Identifying the challenges faced by a commuter train in non-metropolitan areas with specific reference to Mahikeng”.

“It can be argued that the lack of commuter trains in non-metro areas negatively affects the mobility of daily commuters as it denies them access to various economic activities,” says Dineo.

The aim of her study was to explore the impact the absence of commuter trains in Mahikeng and nearer cities has. Furthermore, she investigated what challenges are experienced regarding the use of commuter trains in cities, the importance of commuter trains in non-metropolitan areas, and analysed the significance of modernising the railway system.

“Mahikeng is located in a geographically remote area that does not caterer for commuter trains, and therefore commuters have to rely on expensive public road transportation,” she adds.

Dineo says her study could contribute positively to the body of knowledge in the sphere of commuter rails and beyond. “I believe it could assist in reviewing the model used to determine the supply of commuter trains in non-metro areas, which could assist in curbing the high prices commuters currently face with regard to road transport.

“The study could also assist decision-makers on policy implementation in the public transport industry,” she adds.

“If the first step toward sustainable mobility is to create an equal society and a well-funded and maintained mobility infrastructure, then the green transportation hierarchy mobility model would work.

“However, if we want to pursue a greater degree of sustainability when considering people’s mobility in the interim, then we have to revisit the green transportation hierarchy to take into consideration, first, regional contexts and cultures and, second, the extent to which some groups, regions, and countries need to develop economically to become more sustainable across mobility modes and well beyond.”

Dineo Nakedi.