Public invited to comment on MyCiTi IRT contracts

The City Of Cape Town is inviting public feedback on the new transport system

The city has improved in many ways with the advent of the World Cup. And we're not just talking about being able to see Table Mountain lit up after dark in the middle of winter. 

Thanks to soccer fever and worldwide attention, we enjoy safer freeways (road improvement projects), safer streets (they're ours again! for now) and safer public transport (new busses, IRT).

Those with foresight may be wondering where it's all going to go afterwards; whether budgets allow for sustainable continuation of the extra public services provided around the season of soccer and what's happening with our new public transport system?  Those with insight and hindsight, on the other hand, will realise the importance of engaging in public involvement on the topics. The City Of Cape Town has both and it wants to know what you think.

Most of the new and improved city services are event related and will cease once the World Cup 2010 is claimed (though the airport shuttle stays). The IRT will be implemented up the West Coast next year.  To that end, the City of Cape Town has embarked on a public participation process to obtain the public’s input on the signing of multi-year contracts for the MyCiTi Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) System.  

You won't be surprised to know that it's all an act, The Municipal Finance Management Act, section 33, to be accurate. The public participation process is a mandatory procedure "whenever a local government intends signing contracts extending beyond three municipal financial years in length".

This announcement serves two major purposes. It fulfils the legal requirement of notifying the public of financial implications up to twelve years and to encourage field expert input. "None of the contracts are finalised, if a vehicle operation contracts expert wants to contribute his/her input, for example, we'd value it highly," says Kylie Hatton, Manager: Media, City of Cape Town.

This means that you can be instrumental in decisions regarding the City's involvement with vehicle operating contractors, an automatic fare collection contractor, a control centre contractor and a station services contractor intended to begin in earnest at the start of 2011, some towards the end of this year.

Longer contracts require substantial investment from the private sector and can mean a fiscal advantage to the city in the long term; and ultimately to you. A proposed fare management system, for example, is prepaid ticketing with a smart-card, which is safer than exchanging cash en route, and more convenient. 

 The City Of Cape Town is one of the first municipalities to deal with this legislation.  What have other municipalities been doing? They've stayed within the legislative contract length of 3 years.

Copies of the documents are available for public viewing at the Civic Centre, at libraries and on the City of Cape Town’s website or here)

To be legally recognised, feedback is required in writing no later than 30 July 2010.

Post: Mike Marsden, Executive Director: Transport, Roads and Major Projects,  City of Cape Town, PO Box 298, Cape Town 8000

Fax: 021 400 5697

e-mail:  beverley.ball@capetown.gov.za

For more information please contact Ms Beverley Ball at beverley.ball@capetown.gov.za  or call 021 400 9139.