In October this year, the City of Cape Town re-introduced the Bus Minibus Taxi (BMT) lane on Main Road, as confirmation of its commitment to providing an integrated, efficient public transport system.
In the weeks since the launch of the dedicated public transport lane, there has been a marked decrease in travel time for buses coming into the Golden Acre bus terminus in the CBD. On average, ten minutes have been saved on these trips.
The City’s prior investigation into the benefits and opportunities of introducing a new lane, specifically for the use of public transport, showed that 70% of the residents of Cape Town use public transport.
This underscores the City’s goal of prioritising public transport, with the aim of making the journeys that form a part of the daily routine of more than half of the inhabitants of Cape Town comfortable, timeous and efficient.
MEC for Transport and Public Works, Robin Carlisle, expressed his delight at the significant time savings that are being achieved: “The best part of this initiative is that it was suggested by the public transport operators themselves.”
Both the City of Cape Town and Golden Arrow Bus Services would like to reinforce their pledge to the future of public transport, to delivering a service that is well-run and effective, a service that works for the commuter.
“The success of reintroducing the Main Road BMT lane has reinforced our belief that dedicated public transport lanes have immense benefits, and that the resultant reduced travel times go a long way towards improving the commuter experience which, for some, forms an integral part of their daily lives. It further speaks to this administration’s commitment to being a Well-run City – ensuring that commuters travel in a safe, comfortable environment, with the knowledge that they can expect to arrive at their destination on time,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, Councillor Brett Herron.
This forms part of a larger plan to ensure the efficacy of other dedicated lanes which have been implemented, but not adequately enforced. It is imperative that the flow of public transport vehicles should be given priority by means of well-enforced public transport lanes.
“Golden Arrow Bus Services supports any initiative which improves our passengers’ commuting experience. We are very pleased that the City has recognised the fundamental need for enforcement if these dedicated lanes are to have the desired impact,” said Golden Arrow Bus Services’ General Manager, Francois Meyer.
The importance of this is seen in the reduced times in bus journeys after only a month of regular and efficient enforcement, and the City and its partners will continue to ensure the creation of a public transport system which redresses the poor planning that is symptomatic of this country’s history, and provides the best possible experience for the commuter.
