THE City of Cape Town’s R50 million Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) project will soon be rolled out across the city.

On Thursday 16 February, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, Councillor Brett Herron, visited a number of sites across Cape Town for an update on other elements of the system.

There are 19 projects in either design, tender or construction phases across Cape Town, with Military Road in Retreat and Vrygrond falling under the design stage of the project.

Concert Boulevard in Retreat, and De Waal and Victoria Roads’ NMT, from Grassy Park to Plumstead’s employment areas, are under construction.

The new NMT project will be no ordinary walkway or cycle lane, but will also have features such as benches, speed humps, raised pedestrian tables, signage, landscaping, bollards and cycle racks.

Some other sites include Albert Road from Liesbeeck Parkway to the existing NMT facility in Adderley Street in the CBD, Rondebosch Common, Nantes Park in Athlone, and Merrydale Road in Mitchell’s Plain.

Ward Councillor Jan Burger said plans for the NMT projects were submitted in 2006. He was very excited to see the project unfolding.

“This is a really big deal for the area, because now cyclist will have their own dedicated lanes and will be able to travel between areas and most importantly, they will be able to do it safely,” says Burger.

According to Herron, the vision of the project is to create a cycle and pedestrian friendly city “with a well-connected network of NMT infrastructure”, which would provide the opportunity to walk, cycle or skateboard as far as you like on “safe, dedicated lanes”.

“The city was recognised in January at the Sustainable Transport Awards in the USA for its commitment to building an integrated public transport system and today we can see how people will be able to walk, cycle or take public transport to wherever they want to go,” says Herron.

He explained that it is of vital importance to introduce this sustainable transport system to allow people from Cape Town to have easy access to these sort of facilities.

The cycling lanes will be segregated from the rest of the road, reducing conflict between motorist and cyclist.

“We are looking to introduce safe infrastructures to ensure that everybody using these lanes will be travelling safely,” says Herron.

Dr Gina Ziervogel, senior lecturer at the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at the University of Cape Town, believes that the project is a “fantastic idea”.

She explained that urban areas are more prone to producing green house gases due to the amount of cars on the road.

“There have always been problems with the planning around transport routes within the city, so it’s better to plan routes that does not emit green house gases,” says Ziervogel.

“There is a need for these projects within the City of Cape Town and it’s too early to say whether it will be sustained, but the idea is fantastic and should be encouraged in more areas,” Ziervogel added.

Cyclist from the Retreat and Grassy Park areas were overwhelmed by the news of a designated cycle lane.

Ashraf Abrahams, 39, is dedicated to cycling and competes every year in the Cape Argus Cycle Tour. He also enjoys cycling from his home to Cape Town and back.

“I don’t do it regularly, because safety is always an issue and today, people knock you off your bicycle and drive away. These concerns as a cyclist are always on one’s mind and if this project will take those concerns away, it should be done as soon as possible,” says the determined Abrahams.

Another cyclist from Retreat, who has dreams of competing in the coveted Tour De France one day, fears Cape Town’s roads, but will not stop until his dream has become a reality.

George Williamson has been cycling for the past 22 years, tracking down the most challenging routes around Cape Town, but always felt that roads were not safe enough to cycle on.

“I’ve been knocked down already and that left me shaken because I struggled to get back on the road in fear of being knocked down again. So if there is a project that could help me get closer to that dream of mine, then it should get started,” Williamson laughed.

“Through this NMT project, cyclists will be able to feel a lot safer on the roads,” Councillor Burger added.