Cape Town - The City says the Ottery/South Road MyCiTi route alignment addresses both Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) needs and road network deficiencies, while limiting property acquisition, compared to the Wetton Road alternative.
In response to questions about the outcome of a peer review, requested to consider comments on alternative route alignments with an independent perspective, the City said the review considered different trunk alignment options.
This, as 19 homes, that may be impacted by construction of the City's revived MyCiTi infrastructure in Wynberg, have been identified for a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and received legal notices to this effect.
The properties are currently occupied and the City says affected owners will be offered fair compensation.
Former transport mayco member and current Good Party secretary-general Brett Herron said earlier this week that he requested that the City's plan be peer reviewed to test that it was the best option.
An external team was appointed before he resigned from the City, Herron said.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said the City decided to undertake a peer review, together with a number of other assessments, of the BRT trunk route options, on the Wynberg-end of the trunk alignment.
“The Ottery/South Road alignment addresses both BRT needs and road network deficiencies in a single step, while limiting property acquisition, compared to the Wetton Road alternative.
“The assessment reaffirmed the need for the transport network extensions in the Greater Wynberg Area and it was recommended that the trunk alignment follow the Ottery Road alignment, as per the 2015 Concept Plan, with a direct service being implemented on Wetton Road, in mixed traffic conditions,” said Tyhalibongo.
Council approved the concept design of the Phase 2A trunk routes and the locations of the MyCiTi stations, in 2016 and 2019 respectively.
Herron said the City was being misleading in positioning the peer review as part of the process of re-evaluating numerous aspects of the development.
“The peer review was requested by me, since it became apparent that the original Phase 2A MyCiTi plan, which saw the MyCiTi service access Wynberg through South Road, and then operate through the Wynberg CBD, through the couplet of one-way roads, was a plan that some officials were deeply invested in,” Herron said.
“I asked for the peer review to make sure that the advice I was getting from the transport professionals was the best solution. I don’t believe I ever saw the peer review report. However, I recall the director, at the time, telling me that the initial feedback from the peer review team identified Wetton as providing a faster travel time for the commuter,” added Herron.
If the peer review was never presented to the Portfolio Committee or Council then that would make the decision making process flawed, Herron said.
“The peer review may well have concluded that the original plan was the best plan, but it concerns me that it appears to have been buried. Both route options have impacts on properties and require massive infrastructure builds – especially to navigate over or under the rail system,” Herron said.
The routes aims to connect about 30 communities along the way.
Cape Times