October 27, 2005
By Ndaba Dlamini
THE City is sticking to its promise to make life easier for commuters, and to improve public transport. The second phase of the Baragwanath public transport facility is complete and major roads in Soweto are being widened.
These developments are part of the City's commitment to ease congestion at taxi ranks and improve public transport road networks.
Executive Mayor Councillor Amos Masondo officially opened the new Bara taxi rank on Wednesday, 26 October, saying the occasion was significant as October was public transport month.
Coinciding with Public Transport Month: Executive Mayor Amos Masondo opens the new Bara taxi rank
He said that as the use of private cars increased, so traffic congestion increased.
"In 2003 the City of Johannesburg approved a transport plan, known as the Integrated Transport Plan (ITP). It envisages a Johannesburg that has fewer traffic jams and [guarantees] less time spent travelling."
The R100-million Bara transport facility is part of the City's development programme. It encompasses projects like Orlando Ekhaya, a precinct of businesses and hotel and entertainment venues, and Soweto Empowerment. Construction has been divided into five phases.
Phase three is well under way and is expected to be complete soon. After walking through the Bara facility, Masondo went on a tour of ITP roads that were complete or still being built.
Masondo said a key element of the ITP was the strategic public transport network (SPTN), a network of roads specially designed to cater for buses and taxis.
"These roads have already been identified. They constitute about 325 kilometres and are located close to Gautrain stations, schools, shopping facilities and other similar centres."
One of the township's busiest roads, Koma Road, is being widened and Mooki Street in Orlando is being developed as part of the SPTN.
Masondo also officially opened the intersection of Koma Road and Old Potchefstroom Road, an SPTN street that has clearly designated sections for public transport.
The SPTN runs from Regina Mundi/Moroka Police Station to Sunninghill, and the mayor said it would link the majority of the hotels in Rosebank and Sandton areas to Soccer City, one of the stadiums expected to host 2010 Soccer World Cup games.
"The main tourist attractions in the Khumalo Street vicinity in Orlando West, Soweto, will also be conveniently located along this route, which will enable the tourism industry in Soweto to benefit from World Cup-related activities."
During the 2005/06 financial year, a transport corridor between Orlando and Main Reef Road will be developed under the plan, at a cost of R40-million.
Over the next three years the plan's flagship projects, expected to cost R561-million, would be rolled out, including the Alexandra to Sandton link, Parktown to Rosebank and Randburg to Roodepoort, Masondo said.
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