Residents of Somerset West CBD, in particular those living in Lourens and Reitz streets, continue to express dismay and frustration at the ongoing construction of the public transport interchange (PTI), which is scheduled to take at least another two years to complete.
In the latest spate of grievances, residents collectively penned a letter following a progress site visit by Rob Quintas, Mayoral Committee member for Urban Mobility, and council’s Urban Mobility Portfolio Committee members two weeks ago (“Movement on S-West PTI build”, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 19 October).
The PTI is being constructed on two different sites in the Somerset West CBD, one behind the Somerset West Town Hall and the other beside the Vineyard Shopping Centre. About 4 000 m² in all, it is expected to accommodate minibus-taxi operators, bus services, informal traders and commuters.
The letter from residents says the last few lines of the article, which states that the “inconvenience is limited”, is an understatement.
“For us residents of Lourens and Reitz streets this construction is a huge inconvenience. We are almost unable to exit our driveways, with cars, trucks, buses and taxis using Lourens Street to get to Victoria Street.
“The noise is so loud at times, we can’t have telephone conversations and our elderly are too scared to walk outside their premises. This lovely peaceful area has been turned into a hellhole and we never see traffic officers ticketing transgressors.”
The letter further mentions that Caledon Street instead of Church Street would have been a better place for a holding, pick-up and drop-off area, as it is located in the centre of the CBD.
“That alone would be 100 taxis less in this street which, after so many complaints to the authorities, still pick-up and drop-off people off in the street, stopping to do so in the middle of the road as well as blocking off the stop street to wait for commuters, either ignoring vehicles that need to pass or swearing at people who ask them to move, some still blasting music that rattle our windows,” the letter stated.
“Where are they supposed to pick-up and drop-off clients?”
It continues to note a lack of traffic signs, inadequate re-routing of traffic and shortage of officers to monitor transgressions. “In the meantime, residents suffer from poor planning.”
Asked to respond to residents’ grievances, Quintas noted the complaints raised and said the City would investigate how they can assist in mitigating the impact of the PTI development on the surrounding community.
“I can confirm a meeting has been arranged to be attended by the local ward councillor, minibus-taxi association and City officials to discuss the minibus-taxi operations and how we can address the complaints,” he said. “The decision to use Church Street instead of Caledon Street was communicated at a project steering committee meeting to businesses and residents of Caledon Street and the facilities manager of the Helderberg Society for the Aged.”
Quintas insisted sufficient warning signs to road users had been erected as well as diversion boards.
“Unfortunately, construction on this scale will always bring a level of inconvenience about to users, visitors, and local residents in particular, as we need to accommodate all while the building work occurs,” he said,
“We want to thank the community of Somerset West, especially those being impacted, for their support and understanding. We are trying our utmost best to complete this project as soon as possible.”
