MyCiTi bus commuters using the Sunningdale to Table View route as well as Sunningdale to West Beach route, have to adjust their travelling times on weekdays.
The changes to routes 213 and 223 kicked in on Saturday October 1.
The City of Cape Town is implementing what was the Saturday schedule on weekdays and says the significant diesel price increase is one of the reasons for its decision to cut down services in those areas.
Mayoral committee member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas said their latest surveys reveal that on average, only nine passengers make use of these two routes per trip.
Mr Quintas said his department, from time to time, adjusts MyCiTi services to better suit supply and demand. He adds that route performance is analysed regularly and decisions taken to adjust services.
“This is an important strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of the MyCiTi service, to redeploy resources to other routes where demand is higher, and to act responsibly within the financial budgets allocated to the MyCiTi service,” said Mr Quintas.
However, the Greater Table View Action Forum (GTAF) is accusing the municipality of embarking on what it calls an “ill fated and reckless” densification policy in the Table View area.
GTAF Planning and Biodiversity Head, David Ayres, said Table View is an area with limited infrastructure and public services.
“The results of this densification policy is the total destruction of our environment, and misery for residents who have to endure long and expensive journeys to work and to access basic services such as hospitals. The lie on which this densification was built upon was that the area was well serviced by public transport”, said Mr Ayres.
He said the City has created a model for the MyCiTi bus service that is not financially sustainable.
Mr Ayres said the City has now moved thousands of people to an area where they have little choice but to use private vehicles on their long journeys to and from work.
“We are calling on the municipality to halt all densification of the Table View area immediately, and ask that the Blaauwberg District Plan currently in review be amended to take into account the failures of the MyCiTi bus system. We demand that the City plans around the realities of the area and not the mythical picture that the City believes exists“, said Mr Ayres.
Mr Quintas said should passenger demand warrant an expansion of services, the City will review and consider the decision at a later stage.