On 1st October, Cape Town will ditch cars for more environmentally friendly modes of transport and play areas to promote decongesting traffic.

October is Transport Month in South Africa, and to mark its beginning, the City of Cape Town will host Open Streets Day in Observatory, Salt River and Woodstock, where a 5km-long section of Main Road (M4) will be temporarily closed to cars on Sunday, 1st October.

“With the M4 being one of the main routes between the Cape Town central business district and Woodstock, Salt River, Observatory and beyond, this artery is dominated by vehicular traffic at all hours on weekdays. On Open Streets Day, however, we will reimagine Main Road without motorists by turning it into a playground for pedestrians and all other types of mobility – be it on bicycle, skateboard, rollerblades or whatever else our residents can think of,” said the MMC for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.

Open Streets Day is a collaborative effort between the City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) and Open Streets Cape Town (OSCT). Road closures will take effect along the M4 from 08:00 to 16:00.

“At previous Open Streets days we focused on activities on the route. And, while there will be activities at Open Streets Main Road, this time we’re making almost all of the road space available for mobility. It is a good reminder that streets can become more people-friendly spaces,” said OSCT Managing Director, Marcela Guerrero Casas.

“Part of what we want to achieve on this day is to demonstrate to residents that there are many ways of getting from A to B which can contribute to a greener Cape Town and a healthier lifestyle. More of us should walk and cycle to work, or make use of public transport, as this will help to reduce congestion and make it easier to live and work in Cape Town,” Herron said.

Residents are encouraged to join on on the activities next Sunday.

[Image – CC by 2.0/Theen Moy]