To date, the City of Cape Town has invested nearly R200 million in the MyCiTi N2 Express service which is on track to be rolled out in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha on Saturday, 5 July 2014.
The investment in the N2 Express service will run over two financial years, with approximately R200 million already having been spent on the infrastructure projects and state-of-the art low-floor buses in the 2013/14 financial year and a further R110 million earmarked for investment in the 2014/15 financial year.
This is part of the City’s broader strategy of investing in infrastructure that will help drive economic growth, development and inclusion and it also reflects our commitment to breaking down apartheid era spatial planning through the provision of reliable, safe and efficient public transport.
The service is to be rolled out in two phases, with the first phase commencing on 5 July 2014 and the second phase to be launched approximately five months later.
The MyCiTi bus station in Mitchells Plain has always been due for completion by the end of 2014. Furthermore, some of the bus stops in Khayelitsha are still under construction, as has been agreed to by Codeta. The reason for some of the stops being temporary is to allow for Transport for Cape Town, in consultation with Codeta and the Khayelitsha community, the opportunity to test the location of these stops and to make the changes (if needed) before construction commences for the second phase of the N2 Express service.
‘It is important to note from the outset that the N2 Express service is a top-up service, implemented to add capacity to the current public transport services available to the residents in these areas. It is the start of a process of bringing quality public transport to our residents who are living on the periphery of the city. Furthermore, the City’s Council on 25 June 2014 approved the Integrated Public Transport Network plan which confirms the further roll-out of the MyCiTi service to the Metro-South-East and beyond, starting with the Lansdowne/Wetton Corridor which will provide this service to the broader communities of Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain,’ said Councillor Herron.
With relation to the buses for the N2 Express service, the international bus manufacturer Volvo, along with its South African partner Busmark, has experienced delivery delays. However, in order to meet their obligations towards the City, they have leased additional 12-metre low-floor buses to ensure that the N2 Express service runs on time. This will be complemented by 9-metre low-floor buses, all of which will be in the MyCiTi brand. Thus the service which originally was scheduled to run with 20 12-metre low-floor buses, will now commence with 14 12-metre low-floor buses and a further 10 9-metre low-floor buses.
The fleet of 20 18-metre low-floor buses remains on schedule for delivery on commencement of the second phase of the N2 Express service and in accordance with the City’s contract with Volvo.
As of Saturday, the buses for the N2 Express service will be departing from Kuyasa in Khayelitsha and the Town Centre in Mitchells Plain, travelling on the existing dedicated BMT (bus, minibus and taxi) lane on the N2 freeway to the Cape Town city centre.
‘The extension of the MyCiTi service to our residents in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha is a milestone which should be celebrated. It has been made possible through the cooperation of our residents during public participation processes, as well as through collaboration between the City and key role players from the transport industry such as Codeta in Khayelitsha, Route 6 Taxi Association in Mitchells Plain and the Golden Arrow Bus Service (Gabs). Following on from months of complicated transitional negotiations as stipulated by the National Land Transport Act, these industry parties have formed a Joint Venture Vehicle Operating Company (VOC) and signed a three-year operating contract for the N2 Express service. This is no small feat,’ said Councillor Herron.
