Bo-Kaap residents have mixed emotions about the new changes along Buitengracht Service Road.
Earlier this year, the City of Cape Town proposed changes to improve traffic flow and the safety of road users along the road, which runs parallel to the dual carriageway Buitengracht (M62).
In August, residents, businesses and interested parties from the Bo-Kaap and its surrounds had the opportunity to submit comments on the proposals.
Following this process, the road will now be turned into a one-way from the intersection with Bloem Street in an easterly direction (towards Wale Street).
However, it will remain a two-way from the intersection with Bloem Street in a westerly direction (towards Military Road); but parking will be prohibited along this section so that there is enough space to accommodate vehicles travelling in both directions.
Rob Quintas, the Mayco member for urban mobility, says parking space will be allocated along this section of the service road and adds that surrounding streets such as Buiten, Bloem, Pepper, Bryant and Jordan streets will remain two-way road.
Quintas says: “The far majority of those who participated in this process supports the City’s proposals that are also intended to assist with traffic flow to and from the Bo-Kaap and the City Bowl. This process has been concluded, and officials from the City’s urban mobility directorate will go ahead and implement the changes in the coming days. I want to thank the community of the Bo-Kaap and all of those who participated for their contributions.”
But not all residents are in favour. Some took to social media to air their frustration.
One resident said: “This is a bad decision. I live on Jordaan Street and drive up and down Bloem Street every day. People have ignored the one-way flow of traffic in both west and east directions for ages creating danger for those trying to travel up or down Bloem and crowd the intersection making it very difficult for anyone turning up Bloem off Buitengracht.”
Another resident lamented the lack of parking. “I really hoped that the section between Bloem Street and upper Pepper Street stayed as two-way as it used to be. Currently, it is free parking for people who work in town and leave at the end of the day and we as residents are stuck with a one-way after five o’clock.”
Speaking to People’s Post Francoise Phillips, a resident of Bryant Street, says she is in favour of the changes.
“When we turn off from Buitengracht Street and immediately left toward Orphan it works that it’s one-way. When it was a two-way, we couldn’t turn. The back of our cars would be blocking traffic in Buitengracht. So it’s fantastic if it’s a one-way from Buitengracht towards Orphan.”
Petra Mayer welcomes the changes and says the road is too narrow for two cars.
Francine Higham, Ward 77 councillor, says concerns relating to the timing of the traffic lights on the corner of Bloem Street and Buitengracht Street will be addressed in the coming months.
“We are aware of the issues here, and our urban mobility teams are working on it. The solution requires new technology which is being procured and hopefully will be in place by February 2.”
