Revised Environmental Management Programme for cycling in TMNP released for comment

[News bot]

SANParks and the Table Mountain Mountain Bike (TMMTB) Forum have over the past few months been revising the current 2002 cycling Environmental Management Programme (EMP) for the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP). A draft of the revised EMP will be released for public comment on Monday, 4 April on the TMNP and TMMTB Forum websites while hardcopies of the report and maps will be available at various libraries throughout the Cape metropolitan area and selected TMNP offices.

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[Hairy]

Sorry ... getting excited here ... essentially a link from signal hill to cape point eventually (would include a bit of tar in places, but if all works and a few additional trails are added one can get a really phenomenal trail ride in!?!?!?!

 

The trails around signal hill are awesome (or so I am told .....) and would be a great addition to the legal TM trails.

 

Well done and best wishes to all those involved.

[Headshot]

Peeps, please download it and send in your supportive comments. This EMP has the potential to expand the legal riding areas in Cape town hugely. Go for it!

[dirtypot]

I'm really excited about this!  It opens up the mountain a lot more.

 

I was hoping to have slightly more access to the mountain, example - from Cecilia around the top of Kirstenbosch to Rhodes mem.  They do mention this link in the draft, but I'd love to see it come into action!  There's already a dirt road there.  Another would be a link from Tokai to Constantia Nek.  I know this is more complex, but it would be nice.  At least there is now an alternative on the green belts.

An off road route from Red Hill to Cape Point would also have been epic! 

 

Great work though guys!  I really appreciate the massive amount of effort that's gone into getting this right!  

I like the new link from Silvermine into Tokai!  Can't wait for that to open!

[Shebeen]

I'm really excited about this!  It opens up the mountain a lot more.

 

I was hoping to have slightly more access to the mountain, example - from Cecilia around the top of Kirstenbosch to Rhodes mem.  They do mention this link in the draft, but I'd love to see it come into action!  There's already a dirt road there.  Another would be a link from Tokai to Constantia Nek.  I know this is more complex, but it would be nice.  At least there is now an alternative on the green belts.

An off road route from Red Hill to Cape Point would also have been epic! 

 

Great work though guys!  I really appreciate the massive amount of effort that's gone into getting this right!  

I like the new link from Silvermine into Tokai!  Can't wait for that to open!

I agree. It's good that certain routes are mentioned even if just as possibilities. I will be submitting a response.

 

HOWEVER I really feel that the mountain is wholly underutilised for mtb/hiking/running etc and a lot more usage should be allowed/encouraged. I don't see any out the box proposals that would get me excited in the short term future.

 

 

This route facilitates access to and from the City Bowl and will initiate the start of a continuous trail along the length of the Peninsula.

NOW, we're talking! but then that's it.

 

I feel that the

a) loop around table mountain north (deerpark=>newlands=>houtbay=>pipetrack=>deer park)

 

b)end to end off road trail from greenpoint to cape point

 

Should both be a medium term goal. I don't see funding being an issue for this, the city and local government should be behind it. .....but that's where it stops.

[i24]

Closing date for comments is the day after tomorrow! That is 4th May 2016. I have downloaded and read the document and will submit my comments in the next 24 hours.

 

If you are going to comment, best download and read the document first. You can find it over here:

 

https://cdn.bikehub.co.za/uploads/TMNP_Cycling_EMP_draft_for_comment_04April2016.pdf

 

Take note of the instructions for submitting comments. I think they expect comments mainly from scientists and representative bodies but that does not mean cyclists cannot also have their say. Also it is probably best if they receive more positive comments from cyclists than negative ones from other Park users.

 

If you are going to look at the document, you probably want to read from page 16, "Proposed Additional routes" to page 18 "Possible Future Routes".

 

But we should all pause to take note on page 20 of "Code of Conduct"

 

But if you have not got time for reading, jump straight to page 27 and drool over the maps!

 

 

 

 

[splat]

This closes today.

 

I hope that everyone has submitted positive comments and I REALLY hope that some awesome improvements are made for us cyclists to enjoy.

[Shebeen]

This closes today.

 

I hope that everyone has submitted positive comments and I REALLY hope that some awesome improvements are made for us cyclists to enjoy.

 mine went in.

 

Tokai bike city here we come (eventually)

[(Deon)]

Don't know what to make of this figure but my knee-jerk reaction when hearing how many comments have been submitted is to ask how many mountain bikers are out there?

 

171?

 

Surely not, when you consider that some of these comments will be opposed to some of the plans. So, less?

 

Regardless, I would place a firm bet that the majority would have approved the doc and the proposed routes (not to say that this puts us out of the woods yet, there could be one comment in opposition that makes a very valid point...).

 

Fingers crossed.

[dirtypot]

To everyone who didn't comment - you guys all suck.

[(Deon)]

Meeting on the 15th to review the complied comments and responses. Nearly there!!

[Mntboy]

Meeting on the 15th to review the complied comments and responses. Nearly there!!

Any feedback concerning the meeting Deon? Would love to know the latest.

[(Deon)]

We met and discussed the format for responses to the comments received.

 

A few prickly points came up in the comments and as such a site visit to the areas in question will need to be conducted. Dates are booked for the 28th and 30th but by this time most of the other responses should be compiled; meaning we will be very close to sign-off should the site visit go our way - if not then we'll surely need to make a call about the areas to not hold up the rest of the process..

 

Of 171 comments, 144 were pro.

[Mntboy]

We met and discussed the format for responses to the comments received.

 

A few prickly points came up in the comments and as such a site visit to the areas in question will need to be conducted. Dates are booked for the 28th and 30th but by this time most of the other responses should be compiled; meaning we will be very close to sign-off should the site visit go our way - if not then we'll surely need to make a call about the areas to not hold up the rest of the process..

 

Of 171 comments, 144 were pro.

That's good news Deon! [emoji106]

 

Best of luck with the site visits, hoping it goes your/our way!

 

Sent from my GT-S6790 using Tapatalk

[Mntboy]

We met and discussed the format for responses to the comments received.

 

A few prickly points came up in the comments and as such a site visit to the areas in question will need to be conducted. Dates are booked for the 28th and 30th but by this time most of the other responses should be compiled; meaning we will be very close to sign-off should the site visit go our way - if not then we'll surely need to make a call about the areas to not hold up the rest of the process..

 

Of 171 comments, 144 were pro.

So how did these go?

 

Sent from my GT-S6790 using Tapatalk

[(Deon)]

So how did these go?

 

Sent from my GT-S6790 using Tapatalk

Really well actually. We have our first draft of responses and the site visits were something worth doing.