MyCiTi plan ‘only viable option’

Cape Town - 141020 - Several Plumstead residents face eviction as the City of Cape Town wants to build a MyCiTi bus route on the land where their houses are currently situated. Reporter: Anel Lewis Picture: David Ritchie

Cape Town - 141020 - Several Plumstead residents face eviction as the City of Cape Town wants to build a MyCiTi bus route on the land where their houses are currently situated. Reporter: Anel Lewis Picture: David Ritchie

Published Oct 27, 2014

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Cape Town - The controversial MyCiTi route for the Wynberg/Plumstead area, which could lead to almost 30 families being evicted from their homes, is the only viable option for improving transport for the city.

Elizabeth Brunette, ward councillor for Ward 62 – which includes the two suburbs west of the railway line – said: “Although there are some people who oppose the road schemes, they are still approved road schemes, and thus the only viable option for improving road transportation – public and/or private – into and within Wynberg.”

Residents on both sides of the railway line are concerned about the impact of a MyCiTi route.

Tenants of council-owned houses in Plumstead and Wynberg have already been notified that their leases have been terminated. Although some had long-term leases, many of the 30 residents have been renting on a monthly basis.

All of the lessees have been told to vacate their houses by January so that the structures can be demolished to make way for the new road and MyCiTi infrastructure.

The tenants, represented by the South Road Families’ Association, say they will oppose the road schemes, which include changes to South and Main roads in Wynberg. They are seeking legal advice.

Property owners and businesses in Wynberg are concerned that one-way traffic flows on Main Road would affect commercial activity and impede pedestrian movement in the area.

The Old Wynberg Village Society is concerned about the impact of the relief road that was opposed in 2002.

Kristina Davidson, chairwoman of the Wynberg Residents and Ratepayers’ Association, said that while there was support for a public transport plan, the proposed route could destroy a well-functioning, established residential neighbourhood, lead to the demolition of heritage houses, increase traffic flow and encourage commercial creep.

Davidson said the city had been loathe to reveal much about its intention.

Brunette said the plans for the MyCiTi routes through Wynberg were still in the conceptual stage, despite the advertisement of a tender for the design and construction of infrastructure for Phase 2 of the MyCiTi service in September.

“The plans are still at conceptual stage; the tender will give those plans the detail they need.” She added that some of the design work was done in the early 2000s, and that the tender would call on the designers to review that work.

She denied allegations that residents had been kept in the dark about the city’s plans.

“Information on the road schemes has always been readily available to the public and Transport for Cape Town is in the process of stepping up communication as the plans develop.”

Brunette said the Lansdowne Wetton Road corridor was a “massive” section that would connect Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with Wynberg and Claremont. As it would affect several communities, the city needed to communicate across the corridor and not just with Wynberg residents.

The city would arrange a public meeting in the next few weeks to address residents’ concerns, she said.

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Cape Argus

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