City to launch more direct routes and 29 new MyCiTi stops

New MyCiTi routes are to be introduced.

From Saturday October 27, the City will be launching more direct routes as well as 29 new MyCiTi bus stops.

“Our transport planners recently conducted a review of the MyCiTi service and the passenger demand on the MyCiTi routes. We also undertook customer surveys to determine how we could attract even more commuters to the service. The outcome of the review and the survey informed us of where we needed to tweak the service to respond to our commuters’ needs, and to better match the service with the passenger demand,” said Brett Herron, the City’s mayoral committee member for transport and urban development. The MyCiTi buses currently cover on average 1 456 506km a month, and with the changes and extension of routes, the City will add another 150 000km to the service.

“By adding another 150 000 km to the service each month, we will bring the MyCiTi service closer to more commuters and to where there is a demand.

For example, we will extend popular routes in the inner city, Table View, Atlantis, and Century City with 29 new bus stops. In addition to these, we will also introduce new routes, and more direct routes with fewer transfers,” said Mr Herron.

The changes to the service will include the implementation of new route numbers. New bus stops will be introduced where routes have been extended to meet the passenger demand, and some underutilised stops will no longer be served. Also, some of the routes will be replaced with new direct routes to popular destinations. Some of the changes are as follows:

a new route will serve District Six and Zonnebloem;

direct routes will operate between Upper Kloof Street and the V&A Waterfront, as well as between the Civic Centre and the Clock Tower precinct, and Oranjezicht and Sea Point;

three new stops will be added to serve the Parklands East area;

a direct route will operate from Table View to Duynefontein via Melkbosstrand;

direct routes will operate between Dunoon and Montague Gardens, as well as between Marine Drive and Century City;

numerous stops have been added to the routes in Atlantis to better serve Beacon Hill and Sherwood.

All of the new stops will be temporary for a few months so that the City can monitor the suitability of the location, and the passenger demand before money is spent on permanent infrastructure.

The City is also introducing a new MyCiTi map that makes it easier for commuters to orientate themselves. “Apart from the MyCiTi routes, the map also shows the different areas and suburbs of Cape Town, as well as the passenger rail lines and train stations,” said Mr Herron.

The new map is available on the MyCiTi website and will be on display at stations and at bus stops.

The trunk routes where buses operate on the red roads and have right of way are indicated in red; the direct routes between popular destinations where commuters do not need to transfer are indicated in blue, and other routes are colour-coded.

“I strongly advise commuters to take a look at the maps and to familiarise themselves with the changes, among which new route alignments and names, new direct routes and stops, and so forth,” said Mr Herron.

Passengers can visit the MyCiTi website at www.myciti.org.za for detailed information on changes.