George Transport Hub: Who will stop where? – The Gremlin | George News
George Transport Hub: Who will stop where?
Dec 16, 2016 Dec 16, 2016 southcapenetLatest News
After about five years of planning and deliberating about the design and utilisation of the facility as a central point in the public transport network, the George Transport Hub was opened on 8 December 2016.
Since two of the Thembalethu routes have been appointed to stop at the Hub, the public seems to be uncertain about the utilisation of those stops in the meantime.
“The planned roll-out to Thembalethu on 11 December 2016 was postponed four working days before the opening of the Hub, where planning had been including the Thembalethu service,” says James Robb, GO GEORGE Manager. “But of course, we want to use this entire facility we have been looking forward to for so long. We therefore decided to temporarily move two transfer routes into the Thembalethu stops, not wanting to bring any of our main routes in, just to move them out again later when we roll out more phases of the system. It is just too much of a disruption for such large numbers of passengers.”
The routes that have been appointed to stop around the Hub are the City Loop (Route 13), Denneoord (Route 56), the Industrial Loop (Route 9) and only two of the Thembalethu routes. Routes 13 (City Loop) and 7 (CBD – Garden Route Mall) will be using the stops planned for Thembalethu until there is more clarity about future roll-out dates. The buses will start parking around the Hub on Sunday, 18 December 2016. The Pacaltsdorp and Loerie Park routes stop just around the corner from the Hub in Market Street, while Rosemoor, Blanco and the Garden Route Mall buses stop close by in Cradock Street.
According to Robb, it was never the intention to direct all routes in the system into the Hub, as some people seem to be expecting. “There are only six bays around the Hub, and decisions about which routes would stop where, were based on expected passenger numbers on the routes, timetables and transfer links, with the recent introduction of the wider CBD routing for certain routes, part of the overall plan. A bigger type of shelter than those we have already installed elsewhere on the routes is part of the planning for the other route stops in the vicinity of the Hub, so that all passengers will enjoy shelter from sun, rain and wind while waiting,” he says.
Robb encourages all passengers to make use of the facilities at the Hub, like the ticket booths, toilets and the under-cover seating when they must spend some time in the CBD before the arrival of their buses. “With the rest of the routes all stopping between 50m and 100m from the Hub, the facilities are as much for them to enjoy, as for those whose buses stop directly next to the Hub,” he said.
George-vervoerkern: Wie stop waar?
Ná omtrent vyf jaar van beplanning en beraadslaging oor die ontwerp en aanwending van die fasiliteit as ‘n sentrale punt in die openbare vervoernetwerk, is die George-vervoerkern (in die omgang bekend as die “Hub”) op 8 Desember 2016 geopen. Aangesien twee van die Thembalethu-roetes aangewys is om by die Hub te stop, blyk die publiek onseker te wees oor die tussentydse aanwending van dié twee bushaltes.
“Die beplande uitrol na Thembalethu op 11 Desember 2016 is vier werksdae voor die opening van die Hub, waar beplanning die Thembalethu-diens ingesluit het, uitgestel,” sê James Robb, GO GEORGE-bestuurder. “Maar natuurlik wil ons die hele fasiliteit waarna ons so lank uitgesien het, gebruik. Daarom het ons besluit om twee oorklimroetes tydelik by die Thembalethu-haltes in te skuif, want ons wil nie enige van ons hoofroetes nou skuif, net om hulle weer later uit te skuif wanneer ons verdere fases van die diens uitrol nie. Dit is net te veel van ‘n ontwrigting vir so ‘n groot aantal passasiers.”
Die roetes wat aangewys is om rondom die Hub te stop, is City Loop (Roete 13), Denneoord (Roete 56), die Industrial Loop (Roete 9) en slegs twee van die Thembalethu-roetes. Roetes 13 (City Loop) en 7 (CBD – Garden Route Mall) sal die bushaltes wat vir Thembalethu beplan is, gebruik totdat daar meer duidelikheid oor toekomstige uitroldatums is. Die busse sal op Sondag 18 Desember 2016 begin om rondom die Hub te parkeer. Die Pacaltsdorp- en Loeriepark-roetes stop net om die draai in Markstraat, terwyl Rosemoor, Blanco en die Garden Route Mall-busse daar naby in Cradockstraat stop.
Volgens Robb was dit nooit die bedoeling dat alle roetes in die stelsel rondom die Hub sou parkeer, soos wat sommiges blykbaar verwag nie. “Daar is slegs ses stopplekke rondom die Hub, en besluite oor watter roetes waar sal stop, is gebaseer op verwagte passasiersgetalle op die onderskeie roetes, tydroosters en oorklimskakeling, met die onlangse instelling van die wyer middedorproetes vir sekere roetes, deel van die oorkoepelende plan. ‘n Groter tipe skuiling as dié wat reeds elders op die roetes opgerig is, is deel van die beplanning vir die ander roetes se bushaltes in die omgewing van die Hub, sodat alle passasiers skuiling teen die son, reën en wind kan geniet terwyl hulle wag,” sê hy.
Robb moedig alle passasiers aan om gebruik te maak van die Hub se fasiliteite soos die kaartjieskantoor, toilette en onderdak sitplekke wanneer hulle tyd moet verwyl in die middedorp terwyl hulle wag vir die aankoms van hul busse. “Met die res van die roetes wat almal tussen 50m en 100 m van die Hub af stop, is die fasiliteite soveel vir hulle om te geniet as vir dié wie se busse reg langs die Hub stop,” sê hy.