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Plans to toll the national roads between Cape Town and the Cape Winelands have been met resistance from the city, which has declared a dispute with the South African National Roads Agency.
The national roads between the city and the popular Cape Winelands region are being targeted by Sanral for tolls similar to those waiting to be rolled out in Gauteng but the City of Cape Town is opposed to the plan.
A formal letter had been written to the Minister of Transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, to inform him that an inter-governmental dispute had been declared with Sanral over its plan to toll the N1 and N2.
PROCESSES FLAWED
The city said in a statement it believed the Intent to Toll and Environmental Impact Assessment processes were flawed. It said the socio-economic effects of tolling had not been adequately assessed and were not considered by the Minister of Environmental Affairs when he granted an environmental authorisation.
The city also claimed Sanral had not addressed its concerns regarding the "broad impact" the proposed tolls would have on the metropolitan road network and said viable alternatives to tolling had not been considered.
The tolling on the N1 and N2 is likely to divert traffic on to municipal roads, which will stretch Cape Town’s budget for road maintenance and construction as Sanral has not committed any funding to cover the increased maintenance costs, the city said.
'NOT COST EFFECTIVE'
"The city's policy on the provision of road tolls indicates that tolling should not be used as a means of funding road construction and maintenance within the city's boundaries because it is not cost-effective and is inequitable," the statement added.
Mayoral committee member for transport, roads and stormwater, Brett Herron, said the city had been left with little choice but to declare a dispute as all repeated attempts to engage Sanral regarding this matter had failed.
"Our letter to the minister is our last attempt at resolving this dispute before taking legal action," Herron said.
Sanral was not immediately available for comment.
The national roads between the city and the popular Cape Winelands region are being targeted by Sanral for tolls similar to those waiting to be rolled out in Gauteng but the City of Cape Town is opposed to the plan.
A formal letter had been written to the Minister of Transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, to inform him that an inter-governmental dispute had been declared with Sanral over its plan to toll the N1 and N2.
PROCESSES FLAWED
The city said in a statement it believed the Intent to Toll and Environmental Impact Assessment processes were flawed. It said the socio-economic effects of tolling had not been adequately assessed and were not considered by the Minister of Environmental Affairs when he granted an environmental authorisation.
The city also claimed Sanral had not addressed its concerns regarding the "broad impact" the proposed tolls would have on the metropolitan road network and said viable alternatives to tolling had not been considered.
The tolling on the N1 and N2 is likely to divert traffic on to municipal roads, which will stretch Cape Town’s budget for road maintenance and construction as Sanral has not committed any funding to cover the increased maintenance costs, the city said.
'NOT COST EFFECTIVE'
"The city's policy on the provision of road tolls indicates that tolling should not be used as a means of funding road construction and maintenance within the city's boundaries because it is not cost-effective and is inequitable," the statement added.
Mayoral committee member for transport, roads and stormwater, Brett Herron, said the city had been left with little choice but to declare a dispute as all repeated attempts to engage Sanral regarding this matter had failed.
"Our letter to the minister is our last attempt at resolving this dispute before taking legal action," Herron said.
Sanral was not immediately available for comment.
