Quantock Road traffic jams
Last Friday the Atlantic Sun witnessed how pick-up trucks parked in the road with hazards on, while a dirt pick-up truck caused a mini-jam when it collected the garbage.
Kingsgate resident and trustee Jan de Dekker says this happens all day, every day of the week. “We often have problems getting in and out here, especially when the garbage truck is removing the garbage from the Spar and Woolworths. The drivers (of the garbage trucks) are co-operative at times and will move to the side or out of the road when they can, but with all the traffic they sometimes have to wait and residents have to wait as well,” said Mr De Dekker.
Mr De Dekker says he has approached the City of Cape Town regarding this dilemma.
“They should take away this parking bays (on the right when you exit Kingsgate) but they responded and said it won’t happen, no reasons were given. Law enforcement or the traffic department should fine people who often park here illegally,” he said.
Igshaan Davey has been a building manager at Kingsgate for six years and says these traffic jams are a constant feature of Quantock Road.
“They could introduce a ticketing system because trucks are constantly here delivering goods and residents have to wait, five, 10 or 20 minutes to either move out of this road or to get home. This is a daily issue, I’ve seen this since I started and there seems to be no solution,” Mr Davey said.
The owner of Piazza Du Luz, Romao Da Luz, says he is aware of the challenges that Quantock Road poses and that it will cost in the region of R1 million to make amendments to this road.
“We are in touch with the City of Cape Town and things are in motion. The residents need to understand that due to lockdown for two years that the City could not assist us appropriately. The land surveyors are on it, the civil guys are on, but the City does not have funds to make changes and they are giving me the go-ahead to make changes to the sidewalk in Quantock Road and this is at my expense,” said Mr Da Luz.
Mr Da Luz said the influx of people into the city, and Sea Point specifically, is adding to the traffic and parking problem.
“What residents also need to understand is that Regent Road, and this area, is becoming busier and busier. People are parking everywhere, retailers are getting busier and because the City has not been functioning properly for nearly two years, there is a backlog of problems,” he said.
“The parking in Quantock Road is essentially free, and that goes for the other side roads in Sea Point as well, so you will have employees parking there for six to eight hours a day. I think it’s a good idea to make parking for trucks only, or even convert it to a lane for residents only.”
Rob Quintas, mayoral committee member for urban mobility, says the City is aware of the parking bay and the problems that occur in Quantock Road.
“The congestion problem is caused by delivery vehicles. It must be noted that there is a huge demand for public parking in the Sea Point area and removing well-utilised parking bays because of a congestion problem caused by private delivery vehicles, is not feasible at this stage. Businesses operating in this area would need to find a better solution for their deliveries,” said Mr Quintas.
