STAFF REPORTER
The City of Cape Town has confirmed that the conceptual design of the T12 MyCiTi route between Mitchell’s Plain and Claremont and a portion of route T11 from Khayelitsha to the intersection of Strandfontein Road and New Ottery Road has been approved.
The Council approved the routes on Thursday March 31 and Transport for Cape Town (TCT), the City’s transport authority, will proceed with the detail design process along the proposed route alignments. The conceptual design does not include the Wynberg section as it is part of Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service which is subject to a final court ruling.
The conceptual design forms the basis of the detail design process, which includes the route alignment of the T11 and T12 routes. These roads will allow an average operating speed of 30 km/* for the MyCiTi buses.
Among the key elements finalised in the conceptual design are right of way, where the MyCiTi buses will travel on dedicated red bus lanes and within mixed traffic; and the location of the MyCiTi stations and stops which will bring up to 80 percent of commuters within 500 metres of a station or stop.
Brett Herron, the City’s mayoral committee member for transport said the City followed an extensive process over the past five years to reach this stage of the proposed Phase 2A project.
He said in October 2011 Council approved the planning and design of Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service, and in June 2014 Council approved the City’s Integrated Public Transport Network Plan which identified 10 new MyCiTi trunk routes, including Phase 2A.
Between October 2014 and July 2015, TCT embarked on a seven-month public participation process about the proposed conceptual design of the T11 and T12 routes.
Mr Herron said because of recent legal action concerning the Wynberg section of Phase 2A, the T11 is now proposed to terminate at the intersection of Strandfontein Road and New Ottery Road.
The legal action stems from the refusal of long-time tenants to move from their council-owned properties in South Road, Wynberg.
“All matters relating to public transport in Wynberg are excluded until such time as a final court ruling has been made.
The initial engagements about the draft conceptual design were with the sub-councils, ward committees, ward councillors, ward development forums and taxi and civic organisations to inform them about the scope of the Phase 2A project and the forthcoming open days,” he said.
Mr Herron said between May 22 and July 3 last year, 33 open days were hosted at venues within the communities which are to benefit from Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service.
He added that the draft conceptual design had been made available to those who attended the meetings, and officials had provided information about the project and answered questions from the public and interested parties.
“All of the comments that were received during the public participation process, either written or verbal, were considered and are captured in the report that was served before Council.
“Some of these comments were addressed during the review of the conceptual design prior to submitting it to Council and others will be addressed during the detail design process. The comments about the Wynberg section are captured in the report but have not been addressed given the ongoing litigation,” he said.
Portland resident Maureen Sables uses the MyCiTi bus to travel from Mitchell’s Plain Station to Cape Town and then takes the feeder buses to the Waterfront and around the city centre.
“I enjoy taking the MyCiTi buses. They are on time and faster than the Golden Arrow buses. If the buses operate in the south, it will be really wonderful as we will be able to make use of the malls and other facilities,” she said.
Another Portland resident, Rochelle Scholtz, said she uses the MyCiTi bus on weekends and felt they were safer, cheaper and faster.
“If they can extend further than Cape Town, linking us to the north and south, it will be awesome. We need reliable services in Strandfontein and Mitchell’s Plain,” she said.
Anthony George, provincial secretary of Disabled People South Africa (DPSA) and a Tafelsig resident, said the MyCiTi buses are beneficial, despite the limited space available for the disabled.
“The smaller buses have one section for a wheelchair and the bigger ones have two. We are in communication with Mr Herron as those who are physically disable also need transport. As we know the Golden Arrow buses, taxis and trains are not accessible for people in wheelchairs.
“Otherwise, MyCiTi is an efficient mode of transport, and the new routes will benefit residents because they work all over Cape Town,” he said.
* Additional reporting by Kaylynn Palm