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| ISSUE:
Private vehicle usage resulting in traffic congestion |
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| Increasing private
vehicle usage has resulted in traffic congestion and air pollution. |
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| Large increases in car
ownership in middle and lower income groups is the main contributor to increased traffic.
This is further enhanced by the current unattractiveness of public transport, as well as
private and public subsidies (hidden and overt) to car ownership. Rapid urbanization and urban growth have resulted in a larger number of
people in the metropole, and therefore a higher number of potential users of transport
including private motor vehicles.
Urban sprawl increases the distances between work and residence.
The unattractiveness of the public transport systems to choice users, as well as a
consequent lack in provision of services, results in more people driving further within
the CMA.
The road network in the CMA is reaching its carrying capacity in
certain areas. Traffic congestion is caused by large numbers of private vehicles and the
lack of capacity in the road system, as a result of a lack of investment (both in road and
public transport systems).
The preference of private transport as the main transport medium
to choice users is due to:
- the lack of integrated land use and transport planning; and,
- unreliable and unsafe public transport services.
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| There are 670 000
registered vehicles in all classes and there are approximately 170 cars per 1 000
population in the CMA. There has been an 80% absolute
increase of car numbers on the road over the last 20 years. Private vehicles are the
single dominant mode of transport in the CMA.
The public/private modal split is approximately 50%.
There is an extensive road and street network (6 790 km) in the
CMA. Capacity is exceeded on some of the major arterial roads and freeways leading to the
Cape Town CBD and other high trip attractors during the peak traffic flow periods. In some
areas of the CMA, this is compounded by a lack of integration within the transportation
network.
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The following indicators
are monitored by the Directorate: Transportation and Traffic, CMC:
- Vehicles per 1000 population.
- Modal split percentages (public versus private transport).
See a summary of all
Indicators on this website
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The following responses
are underway by the CMC:
- The Moving Ahead Metropolitan Transport Plan is being developed in
support of the MSDF objectives, namely to promote the development of high density public
transport corridors and peak period counter flow movements to maximise the use of existing
road infrastructure and reduce average trip lengths and travel times.
- The MSDF has been developed to direct and contain patterns of
urban growth and development to reduce the distances between places of residence and
employment.
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- Use public transport and, where
possible, alternative modes of transport e.g. bicycle.
- Combine errands to minimise trips.
- Where possible, encourage
"flexitime" work conditions to allow for the use of roads outside peak traffic
hours.
- Participate in lift schemes and
‘car pools’.
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