City of Cape Town invites comments on road closures for MyCiTi bus route project

Cape Town – The City has launched its public participation process regarding permanent and partial road closures for the long-awaited Phase 2A of the plan that will enable a MyCiTi bus route linking Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with Wynberg and Claremont.

Phase 2A arises from the City’s Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) plan, which envisages a continued phased implementation approach of MyCiTi services across the entire city well into the 2030s.

The affected roads are: Block Road in Lansdowne which will have partial closure; Belmont Avenue, Lansdowne, full closure; Lansdowne Road between St Kilda and Taronga roads, full closure; Turfhall Road at the intersection with Haywood Road, full closure; Dalewood Road in Lansdowne, partial including conversion to a one-way road; and Racecourse Road at the intersection with Prince Arthur Road, Lansdowne, partial.

When eventually operational, the City and MyCiTi envisage the system will have buses running along dedicated red roads, or trunk routes, with some closed stations and open stops along the way.

City manager Lungelo Mbandzayo said: “As part of the detailed design phase, which is now under way, some roads have been identified for permanent full or partial closure to vehicular traffic to provide for stations, intersection improvements, upgrades to walking and cycling facilities and dedicated transport lanes where possible.

“In terms of section 17 of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, the public and interested affected parties are invited to submit comments, recommendations or input to the municipality by June 25.”

Last month, in response to a question from the provincial ANC spokesperson on transport, Lulama Mvimbi, the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works said the City had secured additional funding from the national government in the form of the BFI (Budget Facility for Infrastructure) for the upcoming financial year to support the construction of additional MyCiTi phases.

On Monday, standing committee on transport member Brett Herron (Good party) said he was concerned about the slow roll-out of Phase 2 of the MyCiTi project.

Herron said: “At this pace, the City of Cape Town will never achieve its integrated transport objectives.

“Relocating families living in informal settlements in the proposed road reserve is going to require direct and meaningful engagement with the communities as well as finding and offering suitable alternatives. This will not be achieved through public participation that does not do a deep dive.”

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Cape Argus