The following information was received by Mr Siphelele Mehlo:

"Please note that we will be implementing the attached signage through a Lines and Signs tender this financial year: also note that the process of placing and removing the delineators during the specified times will be managed by traffic services together with Engen garage(according to the subjoined email)."

This e-mail was sent to all Councillors and were also handed out at the Activity day in April 2018.

Mr Mehlo was reminded of his commitment to have the poles erected at the Engen garage in Edgemead and progress was requested. Awaiting feedback.

Councillors were copied in on the correspondence.

A meeting is scheduled for 08/08/18. Feedback will be reported at the meeting.

The Chairperson followed up 14/08/18, 29/08/18 and 04/09/18. Awaiting on the legal opinion.

Site meeting held with Councillor Little and Traffic. Traffic undertook to submit a report to recommend permanent closure. Awaiting report.

The following is an extraction from the Subcouncil minutes of 18 October 2018:

The Chairperson said that a meeting took place with Councillor Suzette Little and Traffic Services on the 3rd of October 2018. At the meeting of the 3rd of October 2018 it was resolved to recommend permanent closure of the of the centre island to the Subcouncil.

Following the Chairpersons comment above, Principle Inspector Desre Liebenberg replied that a report was drafted and is currently with Mr Kevin Heckrath (Assistant Chief: Traffic Services) for approval. The report will be submitted to the Subcouncil in due course.

The following feedback was received from PI Desre Liebenberg:
The Dealer Principal Mr Luzuko Tseku from Engen voiced his concerns about the closure of the island.
He said that if this is done, Engen will take the matter further.

I arranged to meet with him to discuss his concerns on Monday, 12 November 2018.
The motivation from Traffic Services for the implementation of the poles is on hold until we get inputs from the Garage Owner.

We don’t want this to end up in a Claim against the City.

The Chairperson requested a proposed plan to address this situation from Ms Liebenberg. Further feedback awaited.

The following feedback was received from Ms Liebenberg (Traffic): Dear Cllr Carstens

The abovementioned matter has reference.

After the installation of the No-Right Turn signs [06:00 – 09:00) Traffic Services monitored the location and issued multiple fines for vehicles disregarding the signage.

On one of the occasions, whilst monitoring the signage, my Inspector was approached by the Manager of the Engen Garage and requested an update on the matter and he was referred to me.

On 12 November 2018 I met with the Manager, Mr Tseku and the Regional Manager of Engen who made their grievances very clear that they will sue the City if we go ahead with the bollards.

Since TDA haven’t done an impact study on the interchange, I decided to monitor and observe the movement of traffic during morning peak.

I found the following during the morning peak time frame:

1. The N7 slipway onto Bosmansdam North (2 lanes) are both congested and backed up until the N1 slipway onto the N7 (estimate time onto Bosmansdam 10 min)
2. The N7 slipway (dual intersection) South (2 lanes) onto Bosmansdam are backed up onto to the N7 (estimate time onto Bosmansdam 15 min)
3. The intersection of Bosmansdam Road/Montague Drive (West) is backed up to the Edgemead/Vryburger intersection.
4. The slipway from Edgemead drive cannot flow continuously onto Bosmansdam Avenue due to the congestion along the corridor towards Montague Gardens.
5. The bottleneck created at the N7 Bosmansdam slipway creates a ripple effect in all directions as no traffic can flow freely.
6. Edgemead drive consists of a single lane and it took me 12 min to get from Louis Thibault to the Engen’s parking area.
7. The signage was monitored and I found that a few people still disregard the signage, no as much as previously.
8. I also observed vehicles passing the signage, turning into Settlers way, making U-turn’s in private driveways and then entering the flow of traffic again.

My opinion as discussed as follows:

1. The closure of the island or installation of bollards will not alleviate the congestion along Edgemead drive.
2. The vehicles turning through the garage does cause a slightly longer queuing time, but so does all the side roads exiting onto Edgemead drive.
3. Motorist currently drive pass the installed signage to make U-turn’s in the side roads and will do the same with the proposed closure.
4. By closing the island, residence from Edgemead will be able to enter the garage but not return along the same route. They will have to exit onto Bosmansdam and detour back to their intended destination.
5. Motorist on Bosmansdam road towards Milnerton wishing to refuel will not be able to enter the garage. Currently the No-Right turn signs have the same effect.
6. Traffic Services cannot charge vehicles for making U-turns in the side roads, but we can charge for the disregarding of the signage.
7. Enforcement at a problem location will not necessarily solve the congestion, it usually worsen the congestion and traffic flow at that specific time.

Cllr, I am not an engineer, but can certainly say from 20 years’ in the Service, the problem is not an enforcement issue, but an engineering issue.
There are three interchanges linking onto the Bosmansdam corridor and unfortunately cannot accommodate the amount of vehicles – clearly a capacity problem.

I suggest that two lanes flowing onto Bosmansdam Road and the N7 will alleviate some of the congestion – the far left verge to be widened.
Alternatively, the intersection of Bosmansdam/Edgemead drive should be converted into a full on robot intersection, pulling each side individually. The slipways don’t allow vehicles to flow freely, unless the motorist in the straight lane gives a change for merging vehicles to enter the flow – this causes a delay.

Cllr, please note this is only my opinion on this matter.

This for your information.


Yours faithfully,

Desré Liebenberg

Councillor Carstens tabled a motion a the SC meeting:
MOTION: TO CONSIDER THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING MEASURES TO ADDRESST HE CONGESTION AND INADEQUATE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESULTANT ROAD RAGE EXPERIENCED AT THE EDGEMEAD DRIVE-/VRYBURGER/BOSMANSDAM INTERSECTION

The following was requested and in process:

A. That Ms Desre Liebenberg be tasked with allocating Points-men as a temporary fixture to the Edgemead Drive/Vryburger Avenue/Bosmansdam Road intersection.

B. That Mr Daniel Potgieter (Regional Co-ordinator: Department Transport Planning) be tasked with providing the Subcouncil with the previous Traffic Impact Assessment that was requested a number of years ago.

C. That Mr Daniel Potgieter (Regional Co-ordinator: Department Transport Planning) be tasked with providing the Subcouncil with a current Traffic Impact Assessment that addresses all the issues to alleviate the level of congestion.

A) That the Subcouncil resolve to support the motion to place individual poles in between the centre islands on Edgemead Drive opposite to the Engen Garage.
B) That TCT be tasked to prepare a proposal and timeframe on the implementation of above mentioned measure on Edgemead Drive.
FURTHER RESOLVED
C)That TCT be tasked to investigate a barrier option as an interim measure until the implementation of individual poles in between the centre islands on Edgemead Drive opposite to the Engen Garage in implemented.