Ekurhuleni opens new drop off zones in road
These will provide safe commuting
Taxi commuters in the newly constructed Putfontein Road will experience safe areas designed for taxis to stop in.
The Ekurhuleni Metro opened these new spaces next to the road where taxis may drop off or collect commuters.
The road, which is close to the N12 freeway, was built with five demarcated taxi stop areas that will enable taxis to pick up and drop off commuters safely.
The construction of the road includes stormwater concrete channels.
Building started in August 2013 and was completed in December 2013.
Thumbu Mahlangu, Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for Roads and Transport, said it was a common phenomenon in South Africa that taxis stopped anywhere to drop off or pick up commuters.
“This practice by taxi drivers endangers the lives of passengers, motorists and pedestrians, resulting in either deaths or accidents.”
He said blaming taxi drivers for such calamities, without having provided them with well-constructed roads with demarcated taxi stop areas, was not a solution.
The building of the road, according to Mahlangu, created about 89 jobs.
“We appeal to residents of Chief Albert Luthuli to take good care of it. Residents have a democratic right to protest but not to burn tyres on the roads,” he said.
Echoing his sentiments, Dr Ismail Vadi, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, explained a pothole began with a small opening resulting from a tyre burn.
“Then in rainy season it develops into a pothole,” he said.
