Cape Town defends rapid transport plan

Cape Town has defended its decision to roll out the first phase of the Integrated Rapid Transit system along the West Coast, saying it is necessary to build a "solid demonstration model" to show how the system works.

Furthermore, the West Coast roll-out would alleviate the gridlock that would intensify as an additional 40 000 new households materialised along the route.

That was the word yesterday from city spokeswoman Kylie Hatton, who faced a barrage of questions about the city's IRT decision-making at a meeting of the Cape Town Press Club. She was also asked to explain initial cost overruns and roll-out decisions, and to address safety concerns.

Asked why the first beneficiaries of the new transport system would be residents on the West Coast rather than those in "the most disadvantaged part of the city" such as Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, Hatton said that because the IRT was a "mega-project" its first implementation had to happen in an area where it could be done with relative ease.

The West Coast route was also along a major growth corridor, as 40 000 new housing units were expected to be build there over the next 15 years.

Cape Argus

Posted at 01:17PM Mar 11, 2010 by Editor in Residential  |  Comments[1]