While work continues to expand the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east, there appears to be no urgency on the side of the City of Cape town to roll out the service to the far northern suburbs of Cape Town.
Currently, the City is working on expanding the MyCiTi bus service to provide routes between Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha and Wynberg and Claremont, with possible future roll-outs to the north only being considered beyond 2028-’29.
Mayco member for urban mobility Rob Quintas last week told TygerBurger that such future roll-outs will be dependent on the provision and level of other public transport services in those areas, and importantly, the availability of budget.
He stressed the fact that the City is at this point focussing on expanding the service to the metro South East.
“The City is continually looking at improving public transport where it can, both through individual projects around the city and through improvements to corridors. Implementing these improvements is most often determined by the availability of budget. The Golden Arrow Bus Service operates a vast network of routes, including in the Northern Suburbs.
“The Urban Mobility Directorate’s Integrated Public Transport Network Plan indicates the City’s intended network and prioritisation of major public transport corridors around the metropolitan area, including the Northern Suburbs, for implementation in the future,” he said.
This plan involves all public transport services, from the MyCiTi bus service, to passenger rail, contracted bus services, and minibus-taxis, according to Quintas.
Trains are a no go
With gridlock traffic on all the major routes in the far northern suburbs, one of the City’s largest sources of revenue, residents say they feel forgotten in terms of safe public transport.
The lack of public transport brings the N1 highway to a standstill during peak hours, with no alternatives available to commuters.
Ester Francis says MyCiTi buses in the north would be a life-saver.
As traffic accessibility in the City becomes harder, Francis and her family might soon be moving house to be closer to a MyCiTi busline.
“How else do you get your children to campus in town everyday if you work in another direction?
“Lift clubs aren’t ideal because campus times differ, trains are a no go and the Golden Arrow buses are scarce. MyCiTi buses will without a doubt ease the traffic congestion in the mornings. It is such a disappointment,” she says.
Therese Esbach says a MyCiTi bus service in the far Northern Suburbs would be welcomed by residents desperate for public transport.
“I made use of this service in Blouberg for two weeks and never experienced any late, overcrowded or dirty buses. I lived three minutes from the bus stop and walked there to take two buses to get to town with only a 10 minute wait for the climb-over. The bus was always full but nobody ever pushed and shoved. Trains are not reliable and unsafe, whereas Golden Arrow buses are few and far between.”
Hanna Albertyn doubts whether this bus service would ever be rolled out to the rest of the Northern Suburbs.
“It will not be economically justified as roads will have to be upgraded at astronomical costs with money (the City) doesn’t have.”
Read: MyCiTi depot near Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha almost done, mayor pleased with progress
Richard Tichauer says MyCiTi buses are being rolled out to the poorer communities first as they tend to have greater distances to travel with less disposable income.
“We have direct links from the north to town, not that I am saying that everyone has money to waste on travelling.”
Statistics
According to the latest audited statistics for the MyCiTi bus service, up to 1 655 882 passenger journeys were recorded for March 2024 alone, according to Quintas.
This is an increase of 233 163 journeys in comparison with the 1 422 719 journeys recorded for March 2022. An average of 64 094 passenger journeys were recorded on every weekday in March 2024.
He said the City is committed to expanding their public transport offering to commuters.
“Ultimately, we want to create one integrated public transport system consisting of bus, minibus-taxi, and passenger rail services with improved access; and where commuters can seamlessly transfer from one mode to another, where schedules are aligned, and routes intersect so that Capetonians spend less money and time on travelling,” he said.
- According to the latest audited statistics for the MyCiTi bus service, up to 1 655 882 passenger journeys were recorded for March 2024 alone, according to Quintas.
- This is an increase of 233 163 journeys in comparison with the 1 422 719 journeys recorded for March 2022. An average of 64 094 passenger journeys were recorded on every weekday in March 2024.
