Special Olympic Lanes Cause Worry About Traffic During 2012 Olympics

Special lanes will be closed to public traffic during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Some commuters are already worried about the traffic congestion likely to pervade throughout the city during the event.

The 60 miles of lanes will be in addition to the Olympic Route Network (ORN) which will be roadwork-free and cover 2.5% of the capital's roads.

The ORN will be used by 82,000 people and cost about £25m.

The lanes will total nearly 60 miles in length, while the ORN, which will include measures such as closing side roads, banning turns and altering traffic light sequences, will comprise of more than 100 miles in London and about 170 miles outside London.

Games Lanes' for athletes at 2012 London Olympics
BBC
July 29, 2010

Joburg Officials Try to Dispel Soccer City Congestion Fears

Officials in Johannesburg are trying to allay fears that the World Cup matches in the city will be burdened with the same traffic congestion that hounded the opening of Soccer City Stadium last week.

City officials on Monday promised to fix major traffic problems that disrupted the inaugural match at the World Cup's showpiece stadium in Johannesburg, causing concern about the soccer spectacular.

The problems on Saturday caused fans to miss both the opening ceremony at Soccer City and part of an historic rugby match in Soweto's new Orlando arena.

Huge traffic jam causes World Cup worry
Reuters
May 24, 2010

Traffic Not a Problem During Cup: Gauteng Premier

Infrastructure improvements should be finishing up in Gauteng province, leading its premier to announce that traffic will not be a problem during the World Cup.

"We are confident that in the next few months, traffic on our roads will flow without the congestion and the inconvenience that is currently being encountered," [Premier Nomvula Mokonyane] said in her speech to the Foreign Correspondents' Association.

"We have been given a guarantee by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) that key parts of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project will be completed by end of April 2010."

The R21 highway joining the OR Tambo International Airport and the cities of Johannesburg and Tshwane would be completed by the end of April, with three lanes opened in both directions, she assured the foreign media.

Traffic to ease during World Cup - Mokonyane
Independent Online
March 23, 2010

Cape Town Stadium Needs Traffic Plan Update

Traffic remains an issue at the new Cape Town stadium, where jams and congestion marred the second test event at the brand new stadium leading up to the World Cup.Officials in the City of Cape Town will meet with stadium operators Sail/Stade de France to try to update the traffic plan.

This comes after traffic ground to a halt around the Cape Town Stadium precinct on Saturday, causing thousands of spectators to miss the curtain-raiser match between the SA Legends and the International 10s.

The match was followed by the main game between the Vodacom Stormers and Boland.

Motorists with tickets for VIP parking waited up to an hour to get into the main parkade because sniffer dogs checked every vehicle entering the stadium precinct for explosives and narcotics.

Beautiful stadium ... pity about the traffic
Cape Argus
February 8, 2010

Nation Perceives Transit Progress, Cape Town Remains Skeptical

Though many parts of the country seem comfortable with South Africa's progress on updating public transit services, Cape Town residents are much more skeptical about the development. Congestion is consistently mentioned in surveys as one of the city's most pressing problems.

Since 2005, the HSRC's South African Social Attitudes survey has asked respondents aged 16 and older about their perceptions around next year's World Cup.

Last year the national Department of Transport asked for the inclusion of specific questions on road congestion and public transport services.

Since 2005, respondents in Cape Town have consistently identified congestion as a key concern. The Review article says that 82 percent of Cape Town residents agreed that roads would be "severely congested during the World Cup".

Scepticism about 2010 transport
Cape Argus
October 7, 2009

Schools Add More Vacation During World Cup

Winter holidays for the South African school system will be adjusted to include an extra 7 days during the 2010 World Cup. Traffic congestion and school absenteeism aer cited as the major reasons for the rule adjustment.

The winter holidays, which normally last 15 days, will now be adjusted to 22 days to accommodate the World Cup in order to avoid pupil and teacher absenteeism, as well a busy transport system during the busy period.

The 2010 Local Organising Committee, along with the Transport Department, had asked for schools to be closed, citing traffic congestion as one of the reasons.

The Education Department has ensured that there will still be 195 school days in a year, as per the prescribed policy.

Source:
Long school holiday during World Cup
Independent Online
April 18, 2009

Taxis Driving on Sidewalks in Cape Town

Traffic congestion is causing taxi drivers to make shortcuts over the sidewalk in Cape Town.

Taxis which routinely outrage other traffic by driving in the left emergency lane have gone a step further: they've started beating congestion by driving on the pavement.

In the past three weeks 25 fines have been issued to taxi drivers for driving on or over the painted island or on the pavement.

Source:
Taxis 'take over' the pavements
Independent Online
April 5, 2009