Saturday, November 14, 2009

Amid Cape Town Concerns, Transportation Contingency Plan Unveiled by FIFA

FIFA is preparing a contingency plan in Cape Town, should the city's developing Integrated Rapid Transit plan not come to full fruition by the May 2010 deadline.

In its September update of the plan, Fifa notes that the May 2010 deadline to have the Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) system running is "very tight and the possibility that this service may not be available for the event poses a considerable risk to the planning of the even transport services".

The extent of the top-up transport services that will be needed for the event will depend on how much of the IRT will be ready. The first phase of the IRT has been scaled down because of escalating costs. The project, estimated to cost R1.3 billion a year ago, will now cost the city R4.3bn.

Cape Town contingency plan for 2010
Cape Times
November 9, 2009