Cape Town - The City of Cape Town's proposed traffic by-law elicited 1300 comments during its public participation process.
More than 800 comments were received in relation to motorcycles and predominantly referring to lane splitting/sharing of lanes, and the majority of comments objected to the by-law.
A report expected to be tabled at the Safety and Security portfolio meeting today, states that 1121 of the comments are against the by-law, saying it will add to traffic problems, while 53 comments are of the view that the by-law is “poorly drafted”.
The Goodwood Ratepayers' Association said: “All these by-laws instituted by the City are just giving a reason for them to increase rates and taxes as this will be the excuse in raising funds and to have manpower employed and paid. These are concerns when it comes to some by-laws to be implemented by some power-hungry authorities.”
The by-law was first introduced in 2011, to provide for the regulation of public transport vehicles and traffic within the City's jurisdiction. The amended by-law includes five new chapters dealing with the powers and duties of authorised officials, equipment on or in respect of vehicles, animals, driving while under the influence and the impoundment of vehicles and forfeiture to the City.
In addition, the chapter dealing with public transport operators now includes a section that speaks specifically to the e-hailing sector. It now requires drivers of e-hailing vehicles operating within the City's jurisdiction to clearly display a tag identifying the vehicle as such, along with a valid operating license.
Chairperson of the Safety and Security portfolio committee, Mzwakhe Nqavashe, said: “Today before the sitting of Safety and Security Portfolio Committee is the tabling of all comments received for discussion and noting by the committee members. The draft by-law must first pass all the legal requirements in law within the City's legal services.”
Nqavashe said the draft by-law was being vetted by the City's legal services.