Kloofnek Road, Cape Town: Road Users Urged to Drive Safely

Kloofnek Road has long been recognised as a hazardous road and therefore in need of special and continuous attention. The tragic crash yesterday of the school bus in which four people lost their lives again highlights the need for concern.

Over the years the City has instigated a number of interventions and listed below is some of those:

• The most recent major intervention was the bifurcation of the New Church and Buitengracht Streets couplet at the base of Kloof Nek Road. This cost the City R10 million and reduced the danger of this notorious intersection.
• A study over a four month period in 1997 indicated that the Traffic Manager issued 832 tickets for speeding of which 459 were at night.
• During a two month period, July to August 2004, 17 accidents were recorded along Kloofnek Road, between Tafelberg Road and Burnside Road. One fatality and one serious injury resulted.
• In 2002 Kantey & Templer Consulting Engineers were appointed by the City to develop a traffic management plan for Kloofnek Road. The conclusion of the study highlighted the necessity for improved road signage, road markings, rumble stripping and an elaborate visible signage system. The City concurred with the results of that study and implemented those recommendations spending some R100 000 to give effect the proposed improvements.
• In June 2004 a right turn lane was created on the down section of Kloofnek Road into Bellevue Road as a means of calming traffic at this point. Just under R100 000 was utilised to implement this.
• Recently the City instituted a live signage electronic warning system between Kelvin Street and Derwent Road to indicate to drivers to reduce speed ahead of increased pedestrian flow along Kloof Street (this was a first of its kind for the City and was implemented as a pilot study for ultimate use elsewhere).
• A further traffic calming measure is earmarked to be implemented this financial year (2005/2006) at a cost of R50 000 at the intersection of Kloofnek Street and De Lorenz Street (a busy cross-intersection)

In addition to all the measures that the City has provided along Kloofnek Road, it is essential that the public and especially drivers along Kloofnek Road adhere to the signage and to the rules of the road. Secondly, it is important that drivers understand completely the conditions under which they are driving along this road and how their vehicle is able to respond to those conditions (knowledge of driving down a steep sloping road is of obvious paramount importance).

Notwithstanding all these measures the City's Roads Department is not complacent and will continuously examine conditions and means by which the road can be made safer.

Issued by:
Directorate: Communication And Marketing
City of Cape Town
Email: media@capetown.gov.za
Tel: 021 400 2201
Fax: 021 957 0023

Media Queries:
Frank Van Der Velde
Strategic Advisor to Mayco Member (Transport, Roads and Stormwater: Cllr Danile Landingwe)
Tel: 021 400 1377
Cell: 083 259 2652

Henry Du Plessis
Director: Roads and Stormwater
Tel: 021 400 3720
Cell: 084 220 0227