STAFF REPORTER
Lisa Seftel, executive director of transport, City of Johannesburg, said in an interview with Jewish Report that many Jewish residents living in the north-eastern suburbs of Johannesburg had been affected, mainly because of the new, no-right turns policy recently implemented along this busy road.
“The problem is that many people still don’t understand the Bus Rapid System and how it will work. All they see at the moment are massive road works and temporary lanes which are being put in, in preparation for the final system,” she says.
There were going to be rumble stops and red lines painted along the lanes of the bus route which motorists should not cross, she said.
The main cause of concern was the new, no-right turns along Louis Botha Avenue.
“We unfortunately had to close some of them because we have to give public transport right of way. There will be further consultation with communities about these turns once we see how the traffic patterns change once the bus system is up and running,” she said.
Seftel said people should remember the old days when trams ran along that road and when they, too, were given preference over cars.
“People will be inconvenienced – there is no doubt about that – but it will be in the interests of a good quality, public transport system,” she emphasised.
The Rea Vaya will also bring along with it the upgrade of sidewalks to make walking easier. Already in Catherine Street, Sandton, where the bus system was being built, there were many more people walking along the landscaped pavements. This, in turn, would upgrade the suburbs and improve the value of people’s properties, she maintained, countering the view of some residents and shopkeepers along Louis Botha, that the system would devalue their properties or businesses.
Another concern of communities was that, with the lanes restricted, there would be chaos with cars and taxis.
“But, the idea of building this public transport system is to take cars and other vehicles off the road; we are in consultation, not only with the Alexandra Taxi Association, but also with the Ivory Park and Midrand Associations.”
Taxis would also probably be used on the feeder routes.
The city was also hoping that once all the new public facilities along this “Corridor of Freedom” in Orange Grove were operational, there would be no need for people to be using taxis and private cars, she posited.
A further concern was the safety of pedestrians, especially of children attending Maryvale College and Torah Academy.
“There is a budget for a pedestrian bridge if necessary and we will make a call on that once we see how the new traffic patterns pan out,” she said.
Such bridges had been built in Pennyville and Westbury, areas in which the bus system was already operating.
The newly-erected fence which had gone up on the middle island along Louis Botha Avenue, was also causing concern among residents – and Seftel admitted this was creating a division between the community and retail businesses.
“We put it up because there are numerous pedestrian accidents because of people randomly crossing the road, but we are reviewing it and will soon come up with solutions,” she promised.
Seftel, who was a political activist in her students days, has worked in government most of her life, including in the national Labour Department and the Gauteng Premier’s Office. She was municipal manager in the Vaal/Sedibeng area before she moved to the City of Johannesburg to head up the transportation department. She has been there for the past six years.
Jacques albeldas
Jun 10, 2015 at 6:25 pm
‘The system is a complete chaos. You have virtually cut tge city in half. Tge upper class norwood protected by a police station and a poor class orange grove sydenham side. The value in tge sydenham side will drop and criminals will fibd the suburb to be a heavan from police force as their access will be limited to 2 roads far a part from each other making a time burden to responce to a crime scene giving time for tge robbers to get away. The fence across the road is just not legal. It is a danger to tge trafcuc when a section of tge fence will overlap owing to an accident or just vandalism as is the case now in orange grove. And please stop dreaming that people will give up on their cars in jhb to travel on these buses. In conclusion tge side walk should have been shrunked to accommodate an extra line. Bridges need to be installed for pedestrians to cross tge road in a safe manner. The roads needs to remain a doublelane road on both way and perhaps a metro system should been built to accommodate people in need of public transport. It is sad to see that billions are spent on transporting the rich as for your train from the airport to sandton. But when it comes to the real tax payers ie tge population the council tries to find short cut to tap in into tgis lucrative business enjoyed by our taxis that need stricter regulation’
Elona Steinfeld
Jun 11, 2015 at 7:46 am
‘I would like to hear what Lisa Seftel has to say about the destruction of the pavements by Neotel, Jo’burg Gas, Joburg Water and others and the extreme tardiness in repairing them. Where I live some of the pavements have been in a state of disrepair for two years.’
anthony bass
Jun 11, 2015 at 9:48 am
‘if Mrs Seftel really believes that this system will replace the taxis along Louis Botha she is smoking something very strong. taxis and cars, things that PEOPLE use, are on LBA 24 hours a day, not once or twice an hour. what happens to this road when the buses aren’t operating or on one of their go slows or strikes. must that lane then be left vacant. REALLY.
this MAIN arterial route has been operated and used as such for at least 110 years and now we must just go elsewhere. Council is dreaming again, this is so unrealistic its beyond a joke. whoever set this up needs to go on a town planning course with a reputable overseas varsity and not our politically inspired hotbeds,’
Barry
Jun 11, 2015 at 10:26 am
‘I live on 6th Ave Highlands North just off L Botha. Last week on both Thurs and Frid at the peak of rush hour,a massive P&Pay truck(separate ones)was stranded on the wrong side of the road trying to cross over onto L Botha from 6th and couldn`t because the clevers decided to extend the island in the middle with the fencing.
As a result 2 cars pranged right there and the traffic was held up for about 4 hours.
When I also walk to shul on L Botha on Shabbos,I take my life into my hands as there`s nowhere to walk,never mind the hundreds of poor pedestrians who have to navigate the minefield every day because they cannot afford taxi fare.
This story is going to be a balagan of epidemic proportions This is not Cape Town where the My City operates beautifully in designated lines and where there are grand wide roads that can accomodate such designated roads. G-D forbid a car should go into that lane in CT-It just doesn`t happen.
Can you see the taxi`s keeping to that here?’
Lou
Jun 11, 2015 at 10:28 am
‘If taxis are going to use feeder streets, then by default they are going to drive through the suburbs. I live in a busy street as it is and am not happy to have the additional traffic passing by, stopping whenever or wherever and hooting on a continual basis.
I cannot understand why the islands are built and fences erected, only to have them removed at a later stage. This is a waste of taxpayers money.
The islands are problematic for emergency vehicles as they are unable to have free access to the opposite side of the road in an emergency.
Residents also haver to travel a few kilometers to access their houses in Orange Grove and Fairwood from Louis Botha.
The intersection at Osborne Road travelling in the direction of Hillbrow is a nightmare. There needs to be 3 lanes, one of which is a turning right lane towards the golf course. Was no pre planning done for this costly project.
I doubt that the taxi owners will be happy for citizens to use the bus system. Previous roll out of this project was hampered by this and resulted in delays.’
Chutzpah
Jun 11, 2015 at 1:44 pm
‘What Absolute drek. It will never happen. All you need to have done was reintroduce the old 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 routes and ensure that they run properly. The old Bramley route could have been changed to Alex.
If you think the taxis will use another route you mashugah. Join the real world.’
Chutzpah
Jun 11, 2015 at 1:53 pm
‘What Absolute drek. It will never happen. All you need to have done was reintroduce the old 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 routes and ensure that they run properly. The old Bramley route could have been changed to Alex.
If you think the taxis will use another route you mashugah. Join the real world.’
Michael Davidson
Jun 12, 2015 at 9:17 am
‘The fence is a serious issue – I cant reach the restaurant that I frequent now with out driving a kilometer there and back – just to get across the road’