Cape Town – AZ Berman Drive is one of 15 roads earmarked by the City of Cape Town for the construction of non-motorised transport infrastructure in Mitchells Plain.
Tabling the City’s urban mobility budget for 2023/2024 to 2025/2026 on Wednesday, mayco member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas said R52 million has been budgeted for this.
The safety of travelling along the busy road came into sharp focus this week following the deaths of five school children in a multi-vehicle crash.
A sixth child was in a critical condition, according to paramedics, after the bakkie transporting them had rolled a number of times before coming to a standstill.
The horror crash included the bakkie, a bus and taxi.
Quintas said Urban Mobility has allocated a capital budget of approximately R8,3 billion for the next three financial years.
This includes more than R543 million to be spent on traffic congestion alleviation projects alone, and R553 million for major road reconstruction and rehabilitation.
“Madam Speaker, the urgent need for the investment in safe, reliable public transport services could not have been more disturbingly highlighted than by the tragic collision yesterday morning in Mitchells Plain that claimed the lives of multiple children travelling to school,” Quintas said.
“Our thoughts, sorrows and prayers are with the families, friends and communities left behind.”
AZ Berman Drive is one of 15 roads earmarked for the construction of non-motorised transport infrastructure in Mitchells Plain, with R52 million budgeted for this, Quintas said.
Another R51 million has been allocated to roll out similar projects to improve walking and cycling lanes in Khayelitsha over the next three financial years.
The lion’s share of the capital allocation is a sum of R5.2 billion to expand the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east, connecting Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with the economic hubs of Wynberg and Claremont.
This involves the construction of the roads, stations, bus stops, depots, informal trading and economic catalytic spaces as well as other infrastructure needed to get the MyCiTi bus service up and running in these areas.
Cape Times