Independent Newspapers
Amid angry reaction to the disclosure that another toll plaza may be on the cards on the busy N3 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, Sanral has refused to release further details about the rationale and possible location of a new toll plaza on this route.
Durban – Amid angry reaction to the disclosure that another toll plaza may be on the cards on the busy N3 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, Sanral has refused to release further details about the rationale and possible location of a new toll plaza on this route.
Accusing the DA and the media of “mischief-making”, Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona insisted on Monday that there was no firm proposal for a new toll plaza between the two centres. Sanral did acknowledge, however, that this route was one of five around the country viewed as “potential toll roads”.
Asked to explain why the Durban-Pietermaritzburg route was being considered as the most likely location for a new toll plaza, Mona said: “There is no proposal, so the questions don’t arise. Political parties are just making mischief out of the fear of tolls.”
He insisted that the only proposals “in the pipeline” were the N2 Wild Coast from Durban to East London and the N1-N2 Winelands project.
However, DA transport spokesman Ian Ollis confirmed on Monday that Sanral chief executive Nazir Alli had made an official presentation to MPs last week, stating that there were five national routes which required upgrading and that tolling was an option to fund upgrades.
The proposals had been made at a strategic planning workshop involving Sanral, MPs and other transport stakeholders at a meeting of the national transport portfolio committee.
Asked whether Alli had put any flesh on the bare bones of the proposals, Ollis said: “They said these were just proposals at this stage… and that certain upgrades may or may not be tolled, depending on the studies. Our concern is that the total number of new tolling proposals is becoming problematic. There are just too many toll roads being proposed and we are concerned about this excessive reliance on tolling.”
While the latest tolling plans have attracted criticism from unions, motorists and other groups, the possibility of a new plaza near Cato Ridge has been welcomed by the Conomirra ratepayers’ group, which represents residents in the Hillcrest and Upper Highway area of Durban.
Conomirra chairwoman Lilian Develing said her association had been pressing Sanral and the Department of Transport for several years to build a new toll plaza near the Lion Park in the vicinity of Camperdown and Cato Ridge.
However, if this was to go ahead, there should be a single toll plaza between Durban and Pietermaritzburg – and the Mariannhill toll plaza would have to be abandoned.
“The reason for this is that it will reduce the traffic on the M13. This route has now become a totally jammed roadway, where trucks use this highway to avoid the Mariannhill plaza. If everyone had paid at Cato Ridge, there would be no need to use the M13 as an alternate route to Durban or Pinetown.
“With Cato Ridge, Camperdown and Shongweni being planned for massive development to increase the rates base of Durban and create job opportunities, the rationale would be to keep the M13 free for the use of local communities,” said Develing.
tony.carnie@inl.co.za
The Mercury
