Challenges of housing and transport planning integration: a case study of Kuils river, Cape Town

Abstract

English: This dissertation studies the perceptions and experiences of the implementing officials of the City of Cape Town, as well as residents living in Kuils River, regarding the integration of housing and transport planning in the study area. A background to City of Cape Town is provided, which highlights the organisation's key challenges experienced towards the integration of housing and transport planning. In addition, a background study of Ku ils River, one of the northern suburbs of Cape Town, revealed key insights into the existing traffic situation challenges in Kuils River as the research study area. Kuils River is a low-density development area, dominated by private vehicle users and not very accessible to public transport users. The increasing residential developments put more pressure on the roads infrastructure and public transport demand. The research findings related to the integration of housing and transport planning show that there are substantial benefits for cities that work towards such an approach. Data indicates that City of Cape Town officials are aware of the current traffic situation challenges in Kuils River and considerable efforts, such as the expansion of the heaviest congested roads, have been made by City of Cape Town to address the traffic congestion challenges within Kuils River. What also came through the interviews with residents is that the current traffic congestion situation in Kuils River is attributed to poor planning by City of Cape Town, and that the roads infrastructure is not keeping up with the increasing residential developments in the suburb. Most importantly, it was found that to travel by private transport is a personal choice made by the residents of Kuils River, due to inconvenience and unreliability of public transport. Finally, the dissertation provides recommendations for City of Cape Town on how to move in the direction of an integrated housing and transport planning approach, specifically tailormade to and focussed on the Kuils River suburb. If there is commitment from City of Cape Town to improve the current traffic congestion situation in Kuils River in the longer term, it is a requirement that these interventions for Kuils River be planned for and be reflected in the next revised Integrated Development Plan of City of Cape Town.

Afrikaans: Hierdie skripsie ondersoek die persepsies en ondervindings van die implementeringsbeamptes van die Stad Kaapstad, sowel as die inwoners van Kuilsrivier, met betrekking tot die integrasie van behuising- en transportbeplanning in die studie-area. 'n Agtergrondstudie tot die Stad Kaapstad word verskaf wat die organisasie se sleuteluitdagings aangaande die integrasie van behuising- en transportbeplanning beklemtoon. Verder word 'n agtergrondstudie van die Kuilsrivier-woonbuurt, een van die noordelike voorstede van Kaapstad, verskaf, wat belangrike inligting onthul tot die huidige verkeersituasie in Kuilsrivier as die navorsingsgebied. Kuilsrivier is 'n laedigtheid-ontwikkelingsarea, gedomineer deur privaat motorverbruikers, en is nie baie toeganklik vir verbruikers van publieke transport nie. Die toenemende residensiele ontwikkelings plaas meer druk op die padinfrastruktuur en vereistes vir publieke transport. Die navorsingsbevindings aangaande die integrasie van behuising en transportbeplanning dui aan dat daar aansienlike voordele vir stede is wat street na so 'n benadering. Data dui aan dat die beamptes van die Stad Kaapstad bewus is van die huidige uitdagings ten opsigte van verkeersopeenhopings in Kuilsrivier en redelike pogings word aangewend deur Stad Kaapstad om die verkeersopeenhopings binne Kuilsrivier aan te spreek, onder andere die ontwikkeling en uitbreiding van padinfrastruktuur. Wat oak deurgeskemer het deur die onderhoude met die inwoners, is dat die huidige verkeersopeenhopingsituasie in Kuilsrivier toegeskryf word aan swak beplanning deur die Stad Kaapstad en dat die padinfrastruktuur nie tred hou met die toenemende residensiele ontwikkelings in die woonbuurt nie. 'n Uiters belangrike bevinding is dat privaat transport 'n persoonlike keuse is wat gemaak word deur die inwoners van Kuilsrivier, as gevolg van die ongerieflikheid en onbetroubaarheid van publieke transport. Laastens, doen die skripsie voorstelle aan die hand vir die Stad Kaapstad oar hoe om in die rigting van 'n ge·integreerde behuising- en transportbeplanningbenadering te beweeg, wat spesifiek ontwerp en toegespits is op die Kuilsrivier-woonbuurt. As die Stad Kaapstad toegewyd is om die huidige verkeersopeenhopings in Kuilsrivier op die lang termyn aan te spreek, is dit 'n vereiste dat hierdie intervensies vir Kuilsrivier beplan en gereflekteer word in die volgende Ge"integreerde Ontwikkelingsplan van die Stad Kaapstad.