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VEREENIGING. – Hoewel motoriste waarskynlik ontsteld gaan wees oor dié verwikkeling is dit uitstekende nuus vir Emfuleni se infrastruktuur.
So het sakelui en plaaslike ekonome gereageer op Gautrans se aankondiging Vrydag, dat ‘n tolhek binne drie maande op die R42-roete (ook bekend as die P156 of Barrage-pad) tussen Vereeniging en Vanderbijlpark ingestel gaan word.
Volgens Gautrans se beplanning gaan die tolhek in albei rigtings tussen Vanderbijlpark en Vereeniging funksioneer. Bouwerk aan die betaalhokkies, wat sowat 300 meter na die groot Ascot/Barrage/Sharpeville-kruising, rigting Vereeniging, geplaas gaan word, begin na verwagting reeds middel Mei.
“Hierdie is een van Gautrans se mees ambisieuse projekte nóg in die Vaaldriehoek. Dit is nie ‘n winsprojek nie aangesien alle inkomste direk in ‘n fonds gestort gaan word vir die heropbou van Emfuleni se paaie- en rioolinfrastruktuur,” het me. Melitah Madiba, woordvoerder van Gautrans, gister by navraag aan Vaalweekblad gesê.
“Die Barrage-pad is tans in ‘n uitstekende toestand en ons wil dit graag so hou. Die inkomste uit die tolgeld sal ons in staat stel om vir baie jare aan die huidige hoë standaard te voldoen en daar gaan genoeg geld oor wees om ‘n bydrae te maak vir die herstel en uitbreiding van Emfuleni se rioolinfrastruktuur, waarvoor miljarde rand tans benodig word,” sê sy.
Dit is die eerste keer dat Gautrans by ‘n nie-winsgewende projek betrokke raak om ‘n hele streek se infrastruktuur te help onderhou.
“Die plan is uiters verantwoordelik saamgestel. Ons besef dat verkeer nie onnodig ontwrig mag word nie – veral nie oggend- en middagverkeer van motoriste wat werk toe en terug moet ry, of van studente na en van die Vaal Universiteit van Technology of die NWU-Vaal nie. Om dié rede sal genoeg personeel in die betaalhokkies beskikbaar wees om die geld te ontvang en kleingeld te gee. Motoriste sal vinnig en maklik kan betaal sonder om in lang rye te wag.”
Samesprekings met Pos en Telekommunikasie is ook reeds ver gevorder vir reëlings dat motoriste ‘n strepieskode-plakker by enige poskantoor in Emfuleni kan koop, waarmee tolgeld vir 3 maande vooruit betaal kan word.
Tolgeld gaan minimaal wees – na verwagting nie meer as 50c per rit nie – maar as in ag geneem word dat meer as 30 000 voertuie die pad daagliks heen-en-weer gebruik, sal dit ‘n skaflike inkomste van minstens R30 000 per dag (R900 000 per maand) inbring.
Die fonds sal gesamentlik geadministreer word deur Gautrans en die Emfuleni Plaaslike Munisipaliteit, in samewerking met ‘n ouditeurspraktyk wat deur die Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) aangewys sal word.
“Ons is nog besig om Gautrans se voorstelle te bestudeer om onsself deeglik te vergewis van die voor- en nadele van die voorgestelde tolhek. In beginsel steun ons alle projekte wat tot die opbou van Emfuleni en die groter Vaaldriehoekstreek sal lei,” het GTCoC gister in ‘n mediaverklaring gesê.

Toll Gates to be implemented between V’ging & V’Bijl soon

VEREENIGING. – While motorists are likely to be upset about this development, it is excellent news for Emfuleni’s infrastructure.
This is how the business fraternity and local economists responded to Friday’s announcement by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (Gautrans) that toll gates would be implemented within three months on the R42 route (also known as the P156 or Barrage Road) between Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark.
Gautrans’s plan is to operate the toll gates in both directions between Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging. Construction on the payment booths, which will be placed about 300 meters from the large Ascot / Barrage / Sharpeville crossing, direction Vereeniging, is expected to start in mid-May.
“This is one of Gautrans’s most ambitious projects in the Vaal Triangle ever. As a non-profit project all revenue will be paid directly into a fund for the reconstruction of Emfuleni’s roads and sewerage infrastructure,” Ms Melitah Madiba, a spokesperson for Gautrans, told Vaalweekblad over the weekend.
“Barrage Road is currently in excellent condition and we would like to keep it that way. The revenue from the toll will enable us to meet the current high standard in years to come and money will also be made available to help restore and expand Emfuleni’s sewerage infrastructure, for which billions of rand is currently needed,” she said.
This is the first time Gautrans is involved in a non-profit project to help support and maintain a  region’s infrastructure.
“The plan was compiled extremely responsibly. We realize that traffic should not be unduly disrupted – especially morning and afternoon traffic of motorists travelling to and from work, or students travelling to and from the Vaal University of Technology or NWU-Vaal. For that reason, payment booths will be staffed by more than the usual amount of officials to receive payment and give small change. This will allow motorists to pay quickly and easily without having to wait in long queues.”
Negotiations with Post and Telecommunications are at an advanced stage to arrange for motorists to purchase a barcoded sticker at any post office in Emfuleni, in order for motorists to bulk-pay tolls 3 months in advance.
Toll tariffs will be minimal (expected not to exceed 50c per trip) but considering that more than 30 000 vehicles use the road in both directions daily, it will provide a welcome income of at least R30 000 per day (R900 000 per month).
The fund will be jointly administrated by Gautrans and the Emfuleni Local Municipality in conjunction with an auditing practice to be appointed by the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC).
“We are still studying Gautrans’s suggestions to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with the pros and cons of the proposed toll gate. In principle, we support all projects that will lead to the rejuvenation of Emfuleni and the greater Vaal Triangle region,” GTCoC said in a media statement.