The City of Cape Town is calling for public comment on a proposed route between Cape Town Station and Milnerton which will be dedicated to public transport and bicycles.

The proposed route forms part of the City’s vision for improving the travel times and safety of public transport passengers and cyclists, especially on heavily congested routes.

It is expected that it will save 10 to 15 minutes travel time during peak periods for public transport passengers, and will provide cyclists with a safe route.

The proposed Public Transport Route (bus way) and Bicycle Way will run between the Cape Town Railway Station Area and the R 27/Milner Rd intersection in Paarden Eiland.

The location of the bus way and cycle way together with landscaping in the disused rail siding through Paarden Eiland will also result in an attractive environmental improvement of this area.

The City is also planning to construct bus lanes and cycle lanes on Koeberg Road and the R27 as far as Blaauwberg Road and beyond. It is estimated that 5000 public transport passengers per hour in the peak direction would immediately benefit from these improvements during peak periods, and it is hoped that the demand for public transport rather than for private car travel will increase in future.

The City is proceeding with the investigation on a city-wide Integrated Rapid Transit System. An Operational Plan and a Business Plan for improved road-based public transport services are currently being prepared and public transport operators will be engaged in this process.

The call for public comment for the proposed public transport and cycle route will ensure that interested and affected parties will be able to register.

A draft basic assessment report and the application for environmental authorisation will be available to view at Brooklyn and Woodstock public libraries. Comments must be submitted in writing, by 25 August 2008. For further information, please contact De Villiers Brownlie Associates on (021) 6744263, or by emailing: dbass@icon.co.za.