There is a new traffic dilemma in town. While the use of public transport can decrease vehicle traffic on roads, the city’s bus passengers are experiencing a traffic jam once they disembark.
Buscor passengers in Mbombela are blaming an inadequate number of exit points at the main terminus in the CBD for the situation. The passengers said they only use one available exit point from the platforms and there is not enough space for everyone to depart from.
According to Michael Khumalo, he sometimes arrives at work late because he has to wait for other people to pass to avoid a stampede. However, he fears that one day the track might fall and injure people.
“My biggest fear is that there are old women who travel on the bus to work, some of them are diabetic because of old age and they cannot run like mad people to try and get out of the track,” said Khumalo.
He said he wished the company would build more exit points to allow people to leave the terminus in peace. Khumalo claimed that they had raised the issue with officials from the company last year but it hadn’t borne any fruit.
Mr Patric Malabela of Buscor disputed the claims. He said there are two exit points from the bus terminus that allow people to leave the terminus easily and safely. “It is not true, we have adequate space for everyone to leave the terminus, people choose which one to use at their own convenience,” he said.
