Cape Town - The ongoing spat between the South African National Road Agency Limited and the City of Cape Town about traffic congestion in the city - as well as the proposed Winelands toll roads - continued on Sunday with both sides criticising each other’s plans.
Sanral said the City’s failure to act was starting to hurt residents. All the City had to offer were “nebulous plans” and shifting blame to Sanral.
Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona said: “They obviously do not sit in traffic jams, lose valuable time by being late for work or arrive home long after dark because the existing road infrastructure is simply unable to cope.”
The City’s “do nothing” attitude was starting to affect people’s lives, he added.
“It is hurting residents whose frustrations continue to grow. It is hurting the social fabric of the City, with parents having less time to spend with their children. It is hurting the economy, where the cost of congestion is being passed on to consumers. And it is hurting key sectors such as tourism and the hospitality industries.
Mayoral committee member for transport Brett Herron said the City was not responsible for any major portion of the N1 or N2, and any alleviation of traffic congestion on those roads was Sanral’s responsibility.
‘SANRAL RESPONSIBLE FOR N1 AND N2’
Mona said anybody with “just a passing knowledge” of the issues relating to unsafe pedestrian crossings on the freeways would have supported Sanral in its efforts to upgrade the N1 and N2.
But Herron said: “Sanral remains responsible for addressing the road conditions and the capacity constraints on the N1 and N2.”
Herron said the section of the N1 and N2 controlled by the City were among the best maintained roads in the city and had enjoyed “substantial investment”.
The City was responsible for about 10 000km of road, he said.
“We maintain these roads with budget allocations funded by property rates. Our roads are not perfect, but the condition of our roads is among the best in the country and we apply our limited funding in a strategic way to keep the city moving,” Herron said.
The City had identified Kuils River, Kommetjie and surrounds, and the Blaauwberg areas as three congestion hot spots that required urgent attention.
“We are responsible for addressing these road constraint conditions and we are implementing phased road improvements to address this. We are doing so without privatising the roads and burdening our residents with toll fees,” Herron said.
They were not handicapping the City’s economy, he said, with expensive schemes designed to maximise the profits of a private company.
Cape Times