by Richard Davidson
I am writing this letter which I think contains information of concern for Capetonians regarding both of the Cape Town bus services which operate in the city.
First, Golden Arrow. Last year, GA unilaterally withdrew what was already a very limited service to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the excuse being
that the service was not making money.
The word “service” should be important here, as Kirstenbosch is one of Cape Town’s most visited sites, and also one of the six “things to do” in the city.
Only one bus every day actually went directly from Cape Town bus station to the gardens.
I find it incredible that the city council, who keep proclaiming Cape Town to be a first-class city, has allowed this bus service to lapse.
Second, MyCiTi bus service. We all know that the Table Mountain Cableway is now operating and yet for some inexplicable reason MyCiTi buses have not put the shuttle bus to the lower cable-car station into operation.
When I went to the shuttle-bus stop in Tafelberg Road the other day to catch the bus to the cable-car station, I found a number of very frustrated people waiting in vain; some had been waiting for nearly an hour.
What possible excuse is there for this bad service?
Most of the people who use this shuttle bus are Capetonians, because tourists can afford taxis or they go up in tour buses.
* Richard Davidson, City Bowl.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Services might take time to fully restore
by Felicity Purchase
In response to a page 6 letter written by Richard Davidson: “Bus services a misnomer as City’s celebrated sites not reachable.”
The Table Mountain Cableway reopened on September 1, after being shut down five months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, the number of visitors to the mountain is still very low. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company finances the MyCiTi shuttle service and the service will be reinstated once the City is requested to do so.
It is important to note that our local economy is in a recovery phase and that it will take time before the same services can be rendered as before the outbreak of the pandemic.
* Alderman Felicity Purchase, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Argus
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