Construction of a new railway line is one of the City of Cape Town’s latest transport infrastructure projects. The line, which will connect residents in Khayelitsha and Kuils River, forms part of the city’s Built Environment Performance Plans for the upcoming year.

The city said the new line will help serve local communities by providing them with public transport on routes that will foster job opportunities.

Integration zones

The addition of the train line, road corridors along the Voortrekker Corridor and the rollout of MyCiTi busses along specific routes form three integration zones that the council has identified.

The council plans to invest R6.8 billion into these zones in an effort to create what it calls “more inclusive communities”, provide residents with better, more reliable public transport services which will ensure they have a safe commute to work or school at affordable rates.

Mayco member for transport Brett Herron said the city plans to identify housing opportunities closer to MyCiTi stations and rail stations in these integration zones.

“Providing affordable housing closer to where people work or close to public transport is non-negotiable,” he said. “In so doing, we will create a more integrated and inclusive city where residents have equal access to opportunities.”

Partnering with Prasa

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has come on board, investing R5 billion into the project. Herron said Prasa has agreed to design and develop the Khayelitsha-Kuils River railway line and stations in Wimbledon, Blue Downs and Mfuleni.

Prasa said the project was expected to begin in the 2017/18 financial year, and added that construction and design would require a maximum of five years.

MyCiTi rollout

According to Herron, the rollout of the MyCiTi bus project will cost R2.4 billion. He said this zone was central to the city’s southeast metro.

Voortrekker Corridor

The Voortrekker Corridor, which makes up the third integration zone, will focus primarily on businesses in areas such as Goodwood, Bellville and Salt River.

Herron said the city has will address transport capacity constraints and freight movement along Voortrekker Road, and added that the city planned to regenerate businesses along this corridor by upgrading and refurbishing available public land and existing transport infrastructure.