Roads Petition 2
Herberts
Response from Paul Booth for your info
Kind Regards
Councillor David D’Alton
Ward 64
Cell 082 798 9908
Bus 021 784 2000
From: Paul
Booth
Sent: 12 March 2012 05:11 PM
To: David
Dalton
Subject: FW: Road problems Kalk Bay
Dear Councillor Dalton,
I realise that the e mail below was addressed to you, however I would like to make the following observations.
The rehabilitation of the Main Road and all the underground services is to the benefit of the entire community who use the road and who trade, recreate and live in the south, including the residents of Kalk Bay who not only benefit from having a new road to drive on but also have a new sewerage system and a new main water supply system.
At the planning stage of the project the project team went to great lengths to explain to local residents and the broader community who use the Main Road that there would be a certain amount of inconvenience during construction. We had many public meetings, open house days and advertisements in the local newspapers explaining to everyone what was going to happen. We implored anyone who was interested or affected by the project to register as an Interested and affected Party, currently we have over 500 I&AP’s many of whom represent large organisations such as the NSRI, SA Navy and Metrorail amongst others.
The inconvenience to the road users, the residents and the local business community so far has varied depending on the various locations. I mention this because it would be completely unfair to view the current complaint in isolation. I will try and put this point in context.
With reference to the e mail below and the list of so called petitioners I make the following points.
1. Of the 100 people listed on the petition only 27 have bothered to register in the last 3 years as I&AP’s
2. The original complaint was mostly concerning the speeding vehicles and the taxis.
3. Now that the speeding has been attenuated the emphasis has changed.
4. Aside from one incident regarding “they said a coach” which should not have been there, no specific problem has been identified.
5. None of the points mentioned in my previous response which “has many points which can be argued” have actually been challenged.
To put the situation into context I would like to make the following points.
1. When the one way system was introduced, making Boyes Drive the only northbound route it was accepted by the majority of road users, despite the desperate inconvenience to some, to be in their best interests as it would potentially reduce the construction period. This one way system was implemented in October 2010 and was on the understanding that as we finished sections of the Main Road it would become two way.
2. During this period the residents of Kalk Bay, St James and Muizenberg who live along the Main Road and the many side roads in the catchment north of Quarterdeck road have endured significant inconvenience by having to travel via Old Boyes Drive to get back from the south or having to use Boyes Drive to travel north to work etc. This they have done with very few complaints.
3. School pupils attending Star of the Sea who live south of the school have had to go via Old Boyes Drive (OBD).
4. Parents who have children at schools in the Fish Hoek, Sun Valley area have had to return via OBD twice a day.
5. Busineses in Muizenberg and St James have had no or little north bound passing trade since October 2010.
6. The residents of Boyes Drive and Old Boyes Drive have had to put up with a huge increase in volume of traffic in the morning and evening peak since October 2010.
7. The thousands of commuters travelling home to the eastern suburbs have had to travel an additional 2,2km daily, via OBD.
8. The only inconvenience the petitioners are experiencing is an increase in traffic, and then several of them are not directly affected such as those who live in Colyn and Windsor roads.
9. The residents of this enclave have experienced very little disruption as they are so close to the link to Boyes Drive and have not endured anything like all the other residents and commuters have endured.
10. They can also make use of the Main Road which is accessible rather than try and counter the increase in northbound traffic along Gatesville road with little or no inconveneince.
11. The inconvenience of having more vehicles than normal using “their” roads will only last until the Main Road is open to two way traffic from Clairvaux Road.
The project team believe that closing the Main Road to northbound traffic at Quarterdeck Road would be an inconvenience to a larger group of residents and commuters who have already been inconvenienced for over 16 months and feel it would be untenable to do so.
Regards,
Paul Booth
From: Herberts
[mailto:arc...@49er.co.za]
Sent: 08 March 2012 10:39
AM
To: David Dalton
Cc: Kim Diedricks; Alan & Juliana
Espey; Barrie Gasson; Barrie Gasson (home); Bert Stafford; Dennis 2 Evennett;
Derek Stuart-Findlay; Josie Eastwood; Rod Bothman; Tony Trimmel; Andrew Rush;
Paul Booth
Subject: Road problems Kalk Bay
Dear Councilor Dalton,
There have been mounting problems along the route from Boyes Drive via Gatesville and Quarterdeck Roads to the Main Road in Kalk Bay. Once motorists realised that they could get to Muizenberg/Strandfontein by using this route, problems mounted. Needless to say these narrow streets, with cars parked in them and thus reduced in many places to single lane, many without pavements, were never designed for this volume of traffic. There are dangers to pedestrians, to small children and of course intense annoyance and inconvenience for residents unfortunate enough to live on this route.
There is a potential problem with access by emergency vehicles. As an instance of this at approx 9.30 pm on Friday night, hearing a tremendous commotion in Gatesville Road I went out to find Gatesville Road completely at a standstill and cars backed up Anderson Road to Boyes Drive. I was told a large vehicle (they said a coach) had got stuck at the north end of Gatesville Road. With help from some of the drivers it took about 20 minutes to restore order, diverting cars down Windsor Road. My point in telling you this is that it would have been impossible for an emergency vehicle to get into this part of Kalk Bay in this situation.
Attached is a petition from the many ratepayers and residents in the central area of the village. There is also a breakdown showing the number of households by road that support the petition. More names are coming in but as the matter is urgent we are sending this to you now. To make the petition clear - it is that vehicles are prevented from turning left at the Main Road.
The report by Paul Booth received 1 March and copied to you has many points which can be argued, but it is agreed only that the speed bumps have reduced the speed of vehicles
As ratepayers and residents of Kalk Bay we cannot emphasise strongly enough that the situation is not acceptable. We would expect the Ratepayers Association and the Councillor of the area to support us in the matter.
On behalf of the petitioners we would appreciate hearing from you as a matter of urgency
Regards
Steve Herbert
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