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Written by Elias Nkabinde
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), on behalf of the City of Johannesburg’s Transport Department, has successfully completed and finalised the Universal Design Access Plan (UDAP) for the City’s Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN). The completion marks a major step towards creating a more accessible, inclusive and equitable transport system for all residents.
Developed over an 18-month period from January 2025 to June 2026, the UDAP provides a comprehensive roadmap for embedding universal accessibility principles across Johannesburg’s public transport network.
The completed plan will now be tabled before the City of Johannesburg’s Section 79 Committee for consideration ahead of submission to Council for approval and adoption. JDA Chief Executive Officer, Themba Mathibe, welcomed the completion of the plan.
“This plan is a commitment to human dignity, equal opportunity and social inclusion. Accessible public transport empowers people to participate fully in economic and social life, while helping to remove barriers that have historically excluded many residents from opportunities across the city,” said Mathibe.
The initiative responds to the City’s commitment to ensuring that all residents, regardless of age, disability or mobility limitations, are able to access public transport services safely, affordably and with dignity. The project also aligns with the City’s broader vision of creating a people-centred, inclusive and sustainable transport system.
The plan’s development followed extensive research, stakeholder engagement, facility audits, customer satisfaction surveys and capacity-building programmes. The UDAP assessed public transport facilities and services across the city, including Rea Vaya BRT, Metrobus and other transport operators, evaluating accessibility across the entire passenger travel chain — from trip planning and information access to boarding, travelling and reaching a destination.
The plan identifies existing barriers and outlines practical interventions to improve accessibility in infrastructure, operations, passenger information systems, customer care, fare systems, vehicles and communications.
It also adopts a holistic “travel chain” approach, recognising that accessibility extends beyond stations and vehicles to include pedestrian routes, signage, information systems, customer service and seamless connections between different modes of transport.
Importantly, the UDAP applies not only to persons with disabilities, but also to older persons, pregnant women, parents travelling with young children and any passenger who may experience mobility challenges when using public transport.
The National Department of Transport has reviewed and approved the UDAP for submission to Johannesburg City Council, recognising it as an important framework for strengthening universal accessibility within the City’s transport network.
While the completion of the plan marks the conclusion of the project, it signals the beginning of a longer journey towards achieving universal accessibility across Johannesburg’s public transport network.
The UDAP provides a roadmap for the future integration of Universal Design and Universal Access principles throughout the City’s transport system and will guide future planning, implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement efforts.
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