Sandton EcoMobility fest gets going
The streets around the Sandton CBD were clear as commuters were forced to use public or non-motorised forms of transport.
|||Johannesburg - The streets around the Sandton CBD were clear on Thursday morning as commuters were forced to use public or non-motorised forms of transport ahead of the EcoMobility World Festival.
The month-long initiative organised by the City of Joburg will see traffic restrictions in several Sandton streets until the end of the month. The area, a prime business hub, is notoriously congested.
But on Thursday, on main roads including Rivonia Road, West Street and Grayston Drive, traffic flowed during peak hour despite major construction sites around the area that obstructed lanes.
Instead of using their private cars to get into Sandton on Thursday morning, people flocked to the Gautrain station to catch the Gautrain, Metro and Putco buses, minibus taxis and meter taxis.
A man in a suit arrived at the Sandton Convention Centre in a Tuk Tuk while others enjoyed the morning breeze as they walked to their various destinations.
One of them, Busi Gumede, said she used the Gautrain to travel to Sandton on Thursday. She enjoyed the change of routine.
“It was nice not to sit in traffic this morning and to see so many people using public transport. If this initiative works, it might work out better for all of us,” she said.
Joburg metro police department officers were stationed at various points in the CBD to monitor proceedings.
As part of the campaign, motorists were advised to park their vehicles at designated sites such as Innesfree Park, Montecasino in Fourways or Brightwater Commons in Randburg and use public transport from these points.
The EcoMobility World Festival, which is an attempt to coerce motorists to use public transport, is expected to host more than 30 national and international exhibitors for a month-long interactive display of mobility and ecomobility.
It coincides with National Transport Month. Launching Transport Month on Wednesday, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi urged people to abandon their cars and become part of their community.
“This is better for traffic, the environment and for people’s general lifestyle and well-being,” he said at the Gautrain Sandton station on Thursday.
“It’s a way to look at things differently,” he said.
To ensure the campaign runs smoothly, pedestrian zones, cycling lanes, public transport lanes and managed vehicle access will be introduced on some streets.
karishma.dipa@inl.co.za
@Karishma_Dipa
The Star