Bloukrans Posted January 19, 2016 Posted January 19, 2016 Process for cycling on trails ups a gear2016-01-19 06:00Tiyese Jeranji @Jeranji The City of Cape Town’s parks department has agreed to permit the construction of a cycling route through the Constantia greenbelts in ward 62. This follows an extensive public participation process which polled local residents for their input. Most residents generally supported the development of the cycling route. It has been in discussion for a while (People’s Post, “City invites bikes on green”, 20 October 2015). Elizabeth Brunette, ward 62 councillor, says about nine months ago, a group of off-road cycling enthusiasts approached her to request that the City allow cycling along a specific route that would connect Table Mountain National Park in Tokai with Rhodes Drive in Constantia. “Currently, cyclists are not legally permitted to use the paths, but the increasing popularity of the sport has seen many groups taking to the trails on mountain bikes. It was therefore a fitting time for the City to re-evaluate its position and the proposal has received support from the ward councillors in subcouncil 20 and from City parks,” says Brunette. Construction work will be managed by the Pedal Power Association under the supervision of City parks officials, with several conditions in place to ensure the continued safety of pedestrian users of the greenbelts. The memorandum of agreement should be concluded by the end of the month. The dual-use of the trails by mountain bike riders and walkers will be for a one-year trial period, after which the success of the project will be re-evaluated. Brunette further states that the cycling groups offer significant benefits, including funding contributions for the maintenance of the existing trails and increased safety for all users due to an increase in the number of people using the greenbelts.
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