Tshwane metro unveils big plans to improve public transport in city

The Tshwane metro on Tuesday shared some of its plans to improve the bus rapid transport system and extend it to other parts of the city, reports Pretoria East Rekord.

A tour led by the MMC for transport Sheila Senkubuge showed some of the security monitoring systems, development of new routes, as well as roads and traffic calming projects in the pipeline.

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This included the refurbishment of the Church Square in the city centre. The area will be turned into a tourist attraction site, where lighting and urban furniture will be introduced and dilapidated infrastructure improved.

The Paul Kruger satue at Church Square will also be revived.

This will include the cleaning of the Paul Kruger statue, and pathways for pedestrians and cyclists.

The area will be zoned off as a car-free area where only the buses will collect and drop off commuters.

Senkubuge said the projects were aimed at creating a sustainable and green transporting system with fewer cars on the road and more people using public transport.

“It is important that we create a more sustainable and accessible transport to members of the public, where they feel comfortable enough to leave their cars and rely on the public transport” she said.

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Atterbury Road, with a BRT facility between Lois Avenue and January Masilela Drive, was being upgraded with traffic calming designs being implemented as part of the project.

Senkubuge said the road would see less traffic congestion.

“And if we have less cars on the roads and more people using the buses, traffic will improve drastically,” she said.

She said it was important for commuters to know their safety was the metro’s priority when using the buses.

“Each BRT station as well as buses are fitted with surveillance cameras from which people from a control centre are able to monitor activities.

“A dedicated team of metro police are also stationed at this control room to dispatch officers when there any law-bridging incidents,” she said.

Senior control manager Tumelo Sithole explained how the system worked: “We are able to monitor any incidents on the buses, commuter injuries and then send out the necessary remedy.

“If a bus is running late, traffic signalling can also be set to prioritise that bus so as to allow it to pass at a traffic light.”

Church square is undergoing renovations that are expected to end in August.

The first phase of the Church Square project was expected to be completed by the end of August, while Atterbury Road completed by next year February, Senkubuge said.

Taxi industry representative, Piet Masilela, MMC for transport Sheila Senkubuge, Taxi industry representative Abner Tsebe and Tshwane divisional head for intergrated rapid transport Landela Mahlati

MMC for transport Sheila Senkubuge at the Atterbury road that is being upgraded.

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