Rail & Road Competitive Routes

Two inter-provincial main railway lines running from the port cities of East London and Port Elizabeth compete with several national road routes. The railway from Port Elizabeth inland to Cradock, Noupoort and De Aar competes with the N10 which generally parallels it to De Aar and on to Britstown where it connects with the N12, forming one of the through routes from the Western Cape to Gauteng. Most rail traffic on the route consists of export manganese ore originating in the Northern Cape which is routed through Kimberley and De Aar to the coast. Because of this there is little   competitive traffic between rail and road on this route except for liquid fuel traffic which originates in Port Elizabeth and carries on to Upington.   

The main rail line for general freight traffic between Port Elizabeth and Gauteng splits with the De Aar section at Noupoort and runs northwards to Colesberg and Bloemfontein. This rail route competes with the N9 which originates at George and runs to Colesberg where it intersects with the N1 from Cape Town which then continues northwards to Gauteng and beyond. Road and rail compete for traffic between Port Elizabeth and Gauteng over this route. The main rail traffic is containerised import motor vehicle components and finished motor vehicles to Gauteng although many motor vehicles are routed by road. 

The main line inland from East London reaches the line from Port Elizabeth at Springfontein and is used mainly for cement traffic from the Northern Cape towards the coast, as well as export grain traffic. The competing road route, the N6 starts at East London and runs to Bloemfontein via Aliwal North. It is used for motor vehicle traffic to the north and general freight, including containers, steel and other commodities for motor vehicle manufacturing. 

The N2 route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha and past Durban handles the lion share of general freight traffic between eastern and western points. While there is a competing rail route from Cape Town via Worcester to George, Oudtshoorn, Klipplaat and Port Elizabeth, it carries little competing traffic except for gas originating at the refinery near Mossel Bay and being destined to Port Elizabeth and East London. Another route runs from Cookhouse to King Williams Town and is used mainly for beer traffic. Otherwise, there is very little true competitive traffic between rail and road between Port Elizabeth and East London. 

While the N2 continues eastwards from East London to Durban and beyond, the parallel rail route terminates at Mthatha. Any rail traffic between the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal must, therefore be routed through the Free State via Bloemfontein and Harrismith. 

A number of other former competitive routes are not significant today, since some 10 branch lines have been closed and 4 uplifted. One, the branch between Sterkstroom and Maclear could be reopened for coal and particle board traffic    Two other arterial secondary rail routes, the first running from Klipplaat through Graaff Reinet to Middleburg and Rosmead, and the second from Rosmead through Steynsburg to Stormberg (north of Molteno) are not in operation. The latter line has been partially uplifted although it could be brought into operation if required. 

Finally, the newly re-opened Amabele – Mthatha branch, is being run by the Eastern Cape government although only passenger services are currently operated. There are plans to reinstate freight services and liquid fuel, container and other general traffic could move to rail and thereby lesson pressure on the N2.