R7.9 BILLION FOR ROAD TRANSPORT BUDGET

Met with mixed reactions by residents

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

THE City's Urban Mobility Directorate has proposed a budget prioritising road maintenance, public transport, congestion relief and road reconstruction in communities often locked in crime, which has been met with mixed reaction by residents.

Speaking with the Cape Argus yesterday, affected residents who live in communities including Mitchell's Plain, Wynberg, Bellville, Khayelitsha and Macassar, said while they welcomed the proposed allocations to improve mobility infrastructure in those areas, they were concerned about developments that were being neglected, and called for CCTV monitoring of hotspots where the MyCiTi, cycle and foot lanes will be built.

The City's "Invested in Hope" Budget 2025/26 was tabled at its Council meeting on March 27 and is now available for public comment.

The Urban Mobility Directorate said their proposed operational budget for the next financial year alone, starting on July 1, is over R4.7 billion which includes R1.7bn for operating the MyCiTi bus service across Cape Town.

Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, said the focus would be on covering more than 10 000km of road network.

"A key priority is regular and ongoing road maintenance. Cape Town's road network covers nearly 10 700 km, it is one of our biggest assets, and invaluable in terms of keeping Capetonians moving," Quintas said.

"Roadworks are inconvenient and frustrating, but the alternative of not investing in our road network is too ghastly to contemplate.