Cape Town - The MyCiTi bus route along the Lansdowne-Wetton corridor will be fully operational in the next five years, says the City of Cape Town.
Once it is fully rolled out, it is expected to benefit about 1.4million residents from the outskirts of Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the urban centres of Wynberg and Claremont.
But commuters would need to find alternative transport should they wish to travel to the Cape Town CBD from Wynberg and Claremont.
Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, said the City approved the conceptual design of the MyCiTi route T12 between Mitchells Plain and Claremont and a portion of route T11 from Khayelitsha to the intersection of Strandfontein Road and New Ottery in Ottery last March.
“The City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority is now busy with the detail design process along the proposed route alignments. The conceptual design that was approved by council does not include the Wynberg section as this part of Phase 2A of the project and was subject to a final court ruling at the time. “Teams of professional service providers are now busy with the detailed design of the different sections of the trunk roads, stations and associated infrastructure that are to serve Phase 2A.
“The actual construction of the infrastructure will be subject to a construction tender process once the detailed design phase has been concluded.”
Phase 2A is estimated to cost R4.7billion for all infrastructure including stations. But Herron said the City has budgeted R470m for the provision of infrastructure for the roll-out of Phase 2A in this financial year.
He said the MyCiTi station to be built on the corner of Govan Mbeki and New Eisleben roads in Philippi East will be larger than the civic centre station in the Cape Town CBD.
“This station will be a key transfer point with at least six MyCiTi trunk routes dispersing from there in the future. This station will therefore attract thousands of commuters.” The plan, he said, is to turn the MyCiTi station in Philippi East into an interactive space “where commuters can shop, socialise and do business” - similar to that of an airport.
“Some of the roadworks in preparation of the roll-out of Phase A and other future phases have commenced along Strandfontein Road and Stock Road recently. However, it will take five years to get Phase 2A fully operational."
He said the major delay has been due to the South Road court action.
“The full bench of the Western Cape High Court on February 10 ruled in favour of the City of Cape Town.”
He said once rolled out, the service will assist in alleviating traffic congestion. “The aim is to make the public transport experience for current users safer, more enjoyable, seamless and quicker. The quality of the service should also provide an attractive alternative to private vehicle use”