Public transportation to and from Somerset West has been given a major boost with the official opening of the Somerset West Public Transport Interchange (PTI) earlier this month.
Opened on Monday June 5 by the City’s Mayoral committee member for urban mobility, councillor Rob Quintas in the Somerset West CBD, Bolander asked the City how operations at the new site are running.
Mr Quintas said the only complaints received related minibus taxis (MBT). “We only received a complaint yesterday (Thursday June 13) about certain MBT vehicles not using the new MBT Facility and that still operate on the periphery of the new MBT Facility. We have escalated this to the Transport Enforcement Unit (TEU) who will take the necessary enforcement steps to prevent this,” Mr Quintas said.
An estimated R65 million were spent on the construction of the PTI which is allocated on 2 sites and includes an administrative building, ablution facilities, a refuse room, solar system, LED lighting, universal access and for safety purposes CCTV and security personnel.
In total the interchange is approximately 4 000 square metres in size and can accommodate more than 1 000 commuters, minibus-taxi operators, bus services as well as informal traders on site.
The City’s Mayoral committee member for economic growth, Alderman James Vos, said with the allocation of the trading bays a report with the traders’ names was approved by the City. “Traders who had been trading on-site prior to the PTI construction were given preference. These traders have been allocated bays at the PTI,” he said and added that all current vacant bays will be advertised with interested traders be required to complete an online application process.
One of these traders accommodated at the new PTI is Shivonne Finch from Macassar, who has operated her stall in the Somerset West CBD for more than 20 years. During the two years of construction of the PTI she said she was forced to trade in Muizenberg and is happy to be back in the area.
“I’m happy with the set-up here the only struggle is to get back my customers back because many of them don’t know that I have moved my stall here now because I used to be next to Meatrite” she said. In answer to whether she has any issues with her new trading spot, she said she has no complaints but would have liked to have more overhead coverage or shade.
Another fruit trader, Lilian Malzombe from Zola, Strand agreed with this and said rain still get her boxes wet. “Business is fine just a little bit quiet, but I am still new here so I can’t tell yet, maybe it will be a busy spot.” She added with the winter she is uncertain whether they can erect a gazebo to keep her produce dry.
Commuter Alvera Bailey from Macassar, was impressed with the new PTI. “It’s really beautiful, open and lively it almost feels like the Grand Parade in Cape Town, I’m happy that we can also expand on this side.”
Another commuter Somerset West resident Tracy Hendricks said she travelled to the Eikestad Mall and back and she is happy with the service she received. “The service and personalities were wonderful there was no aggression and I felt very safe.” She often travels by minibus taxi and said the new facility is an improvement on the old one. “It’s much safer compared to the other one as it’s near to the city.”
According to the City the new PTI will serve 12 destinations including Khayelitsha, Grabouw, Macassar, Firgrove, Strand, Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Stellenbosch, Strand, Somerset West, Zola, Nomzamo and Lwandle.
Councillor Xolani Diniso, ward councillor of ward 86 which includes Lwandle and Nomzamo says he is positive that the PTI will improve the living conditions of the commuters.
“The previous taxi rank was too small to accommodate all the commuters from the surrounding areas and people had to wait in long lines to get a taxi home. As you know the Somerset West CBD is the place where our people normally go to do business and before it took some time to get transport back home and people had to leave early to wait in line for a taxi. Now with this new PTI it will be more effective in that people will be able to stay in town longer and buy more stuff knowing there will be more taxi’s waiting with a shorter commute,” he said.
Economically for business owners he says the PTI will be beneficial. “As you know the majority of our local taxi industry is dominated by black and coloured owners from the townships and now these owners will be able to expand their businesses by buying more taxi’s because the bigger space at the PTI can accommodate more taxi’s,” he said.
