Mobility

1. (a) What initiatives has his Department implemented or plans to implement to alleviate traffic congestion in and around Stellenbosch, particularly during peak travel hours, (b) what specific role does his Department play in coordinating with (i) the Stellenbosch Municipality and (ii) other stakeholders, such as the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure and the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), to identify and address congestion hotspots in the area;
2. In the 2024/25 year, the Department completed a Park and Ride pre-feasibility study, which proposes pilot services on two of the most congested roads leading into the Stellenbosch CBD – the R44 to the south of the CBD and the R304 to the north of the CBD. Should funding become available for implementation, the first phase of this service can be piloted in the next financial year.

Following this work, the Department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Stellenbosch Municipality to jointly develop, pilot and implement congestion reduction measures, including Park and Ride and other initiatives, and prepare a congestion management plan for Stellenbosch. This partnership will focus on practical, evidence-based measures such as investigating, designing, and piloting interventions like Park and Ride facilities, supported by operational, regulatory, and demand management strategies to alleviate traffic congestion, particularly during peak travel hours.

2. The Mobility Department is coordinating with Stellenbosch Municipality through ongoing engagements on congestion-reduction planning. For Mobility Month (October) this year, the Department prioritised stakeholder engagement in Stellenbosch about congestion by hosting a Congestion Symposium in partnership with the Municipality, where stakeholders gathered to engage on the congestion challenge and potential solutions in Stellenbosch. Invited stakeholders included the Department of Infrastructure, several local government departments, industry representatives, academics and technical experts.

The Department’s coordination role will be strengthened through the establishment of the proposed joint planning committee with the Municipality, as set out in the MOU. This committee will continue to engage relevant stakeholders, including the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure, SANRAL, local businesses, the local university, schools, communities, and commuters, throughout the process of identifying and addressing congestion issues.

The Department also ensures alignment between municipal and provincial mobility strategies and facilitates the sharing of information, planning, and feedback to support effective congestion reduction. It is important to note that engagement with stakeholders will be part of the process to develop and implement the congestion management plan and measures.

2. Whether his Department has conducted or commissioned any traffic flow studies, congestion assessments or transport modelling for Stellenbosch in the past three financial years; if not, why not; if so, (a) what were the key findings, (b) what were the identified congestion hotspots and (c) what data (for example traffic volumes, average peak-hour delays or travel time indices) were recorded;

The Department commissioned traffic demand analysis and transport modelling for Stellenbosch, specifically an Equilibrium Model for MultiModal Equilibrium (EMME). An EMME model is a transport planning software used for demand estimation and traffic forecasting, and was conducted as part of the Stellenbosch Park and Ride pre-feasibility study in 2024/25.

1. The key finding from the EMME model’s demand analysis was the identification of the major regions contributing to inbound traffic volumes to Stellenbosch. The Helderberg region generates the highest number of person-trips to Stellenbosch (2,172 per day, accounting for 23% of total demand). This is followed by the Northern Suburbs, including Brackenfell, Bellville, Durbanville, Kraaifontein, and Kuils River (1,669 trips, 18% of total demand) and Paarl/Wellington (1,170 trips, 12% of total demand). Together, these three macrozones account for more than half of all travel to Stellenbosch.
2. The modelling and prefeasibility work identified notable congestion hotspots along the R44 and R304 corridors, which also emerged as priority corridors for the Park and Ride pilot.
3. The data recorded included estimated person-trips per day by origin zone, which informed the projected demand for shuttle services and the prioritisation of interventions. Further details on peak-hour delays, or travel time indices will be gathered as the congestion management planning process advances, and further investigation is conducted. This EMME analysis was crucial for identifying the optimal locations and routes (R44 and R304) along which to establish the pilot P&R facilities.
4. What is the estimated time frame for the implementation of the (a) short-, (b) medium- and (c) long-term interventions identified to reduce congestion in Stellenbosch and along its main access routes, including the R44, the R310, Adam Tas Road and the Stellenbosch arterial network;

(a), (b)& (C):

The estimated time frames for the implementation of short-, medium-, and long-term interventions to reduce congestion in Stellenbosch and along its main access routes, including the R44, R310, R304, and the broader arterial road network are still to be developed as part of the congestion management plan. All these routes are being considered in the planning process, and the specific timelines for interventions will be determined once the plan and its implementation schedule have been finalised in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Investigation into the Park and Ride pilot is further advanced due to having commenced in the 2024/25 year and should implementation funding for the Park and Ride pilot be secured, implementation of the first phase of services on the R44 can occur within a year.

4. What is the total budget allocation and expenditure to date for any congestion alleviation or mobility improvement projects in the Stellenbosch area, broken down by (a) project and (b) financial year?

(a)&(b):

  The Mobility Department investigated opportunities for Park n Rides linked to public transport services in the City of Cape Town and Stellenbosch Municipality as a way to help alleviate congestion. The prefeasibility and planning work for Stellenbosch was completed during the 2024/25 financial year with a budget of R2 million. The estimated budget for work done in the current financial year on congestion and mobility improvement work in Stellenbosch is approximately R1.5m.

Work in the current year includes the development of a congestion management plan, holding a congestion symposium in Stellenbosch, which brought together a range of stakeholders to discuss ideas for alleviating congestion, and a street closure, which served as a demonstration of how spaces can be more effectively used when pedestrians and cyclists have priority.