At the SATI Offices, South Gate Industrial Park at 15h00 on the 22^nd of August 2007

Attending the meeting:
Ted Holbrook (Athlone Park)
David Labuschagne (Amanzimtoti Civic Association)
Mark Holbrook
Caleb Gule (Makhanya Traditional Council)
Walter Makhanya (Makhanya Traditional Council)
Emil von Maltitz (Water for Africa)

The focus group meeting between the Upper South Coast Anti-Toll Alliance (USCATA) and Emil von Maltitz, representative for Water for Africa, began with the representatives of USCATA indicating that there is very little information regarding the proposed N2 toll-road that has been given out by SANRAL. A discussion ensued over the process by which the Environmental Impact Assessment is being conducted.

During the course of the meeting it was given that very little respect had been offered by the previous environmental consultants towards the affected parties and associations such as USCATA. As such there was a great deal of scepticism and cynicism displayed towards the meeting and its intended result/s by USCATA to begin with. The USCATA representatives stressed that the attitude displayed by SANRAL and the previous consultants was to press-gang the local communities, civic associations, businesses and the municipality into accepting the tolling of the present N2 freeway. They also stated that the previous consultants had tended to ‘side’ with SANRAL and seemed to be pushing SANRAL’s objective, rather than remaining neutral.

A previous statement by a Mr Moon of SANRAL was criticised by USCATA. The members at the meeting cited a comment that 85% of the traffic on the N2 toll road would come from the west of Durban. This figure can be seen to consist of roughly 30 000 vehicles passing through Isipingo per day, but only 3000 travelling between Umtata and Lusikisiki. With figures like this USCATA say they cannot believe SANRAL’s claim that the Durban metropolitan area is not being made to pay for the full length of the proposed upgrade to the N2 highway between East London and Durban (as SANRAL have claimed).

The sceptism of USCATA towards SANRAL is also evident in their disbelief of SANRAL’s claim that the bid for the tolling of the N2 was unsolicited. USCATA indicated that in an early map produced by SANRAL the whole northern section of the N2 between East London and Durban was shown as being tolled - long before there was any talk to the local communities, or even the municipality, that the road would be tolled.

Stuart Wilson of SANRAL has also indicated that Marion Hill, Tongaat and Isipingo plazas are designed to catch the long-distance travellers. USCATA argue against this claim, saying that the proposed Isipingo plaza is situated directly between two major nodes of the Durban metropole, catching all business, industrial, commercial and residential traffic moving between those two nodes. USCATA say that if SANRAL really intended tolling long distance travellers they would move the tolls far south of Scottburgh.

The Municipal Nature of the Road

Early on in the meeting it was pointed out by USCATA that the current N2 highway was built 30 years ago. As such the N2 highway is part of the Ethekwini municipal area and its internal road structure. USCATA stress that they are not opposed to a toll-road per-se, but that they are adamantly opposed to the stretch of road from Umkomass to Isipingo being tolled (justification follows below). If tolls are to be placed on the road they should only start further south on the N2, not in an area where the N2 freeway is to all intents and purposes used as a municipal road.

Thus, USCATA are not against the tolling of a brand new road that exists in addition to the present N2 freeway. Instead they are “against the tolling of an existing road in a municipal area”.

Importantly for the local communities, the N2 from Scottburgh northwards is essentially a municipal road. USCATA mentioned an example given at a public meeting where it was pointed out that a small family with one vehicle would have to pay the toll up to 10 times or more per day. E.g. vehicle used to take children to school before work (passing toll for the first time) and return (passing toll for the second time) to pick up partner to go to work (passing toll for the third time). Picking up children in afternoon (passing toll for the fourth time) and returning to work (passing toll for the fifth time). Returning home again in the evening (passing toll for the sixth time) and any other trips from minor CBDs towards Durban central or the South Coast Industrial Basin (passing tolls for the seventh time and upwards). This could all occur within the travelling distance of 20km. Based on SANRAL’s estimate of 30c a kilometre, the personal expense of commuters will mount drastically such that an individual student travelling from Amanzimtoti to Durban and only passing tolls once, would still have to pay R10 a day. More regular users, particularly families, would have to pay considerably more (bearing in mind that the usage of the road is as if the N2 were a municipal freeway).

USCATA indicated that if a toll road were indeed to be placed on the N2 between Umkomass and Isipingo, the collected toll should go to the Municipality, not to SANRAL. Benefits must be seen to be a result of the toll-road to the direct users and those who are to pay the toll. Furthermore an upgrade of the N2 from Umkomass to Isipingo is not necessary.

In the meeting it was pointed out by USCATA that SANRAL have attempted to use the upgrade of the Adam’s Road interchange as a concession to the local associations and those who would pay tolls. SANRAL have apparently said that the tolls would pay for the upgrade of this interchange. USCATA argue that this interchange was meant to be upgraded years ago and should not be used as leverage by SANRAL. According to USCATA the Adams Road interchange was intended to be upgraded long before any talk of the toll road. Therefore, they argue, they are owed the interchange upgrade as a backdated project, not as part of the N2 toll road upgrade.

Diversion of Traffic

A serious concern of USCATA is the increased traffic on alternative routes to the N2, none of which are adequate for the expected increase in traffic. They state that there will be increased traffic on these alternative roads (the R102 and the M14) despite what has been said to the contrary by representatives of SANRAL and the government. As evidence USCATA point out the increased traffic on the alternative roads that bypass Mooiplaas toll plaza on the N3. This has been reported on in the media on numerous occasions, with articles coming out in local newspapers and on local radio shows regularly. USCATA say that it is not a perception that people will try to avoid toll plazas, it is a “guaranteed fact”. Again they pointed to Tongaat and Marion Hill toll plazas and the associated rise in traffic on the alternate routes, which are better equipped than the R102 and M14 to handle traffic.

Another point raised by the councillors of the Makhanya Traditional Council was that the alternative route should have 4 lanes, not 2, since the road would be used as a municipal freeway into the city from its outlying suburbs. Neither the R102 nor the M14 can provide this as they are essentially residential 2 lane roads. The increased heavy traffic would also damage roads that were never intended for trucking. The cost of the maintenance would be born by the municipality, not the toll-road, which USCATA sees as unjust.

The ripple effect of the increased traffic on alternative roads could also have severe negative impacts. Already the roads are congested as it is, without the toll-road road, and further traffic would exacerbate this. Accidents would become more common, and safety to pedestrians and other vehicles would be compromised. A number of schools, medical centres (including hospitals) and old-age homes would also be negatively impacted on by the increased traffic on alternative roads. Residential areas would also be affected by congested traffic through noise and air pollution by vehicles that attempt to avoid the toll road.

USCATA pointed to occasions when there has been diversion of traffic onto the R102 and M14 to bypass accident scenes on the N2. Whenever this happens the roads become clogged with slow-moving traffic and essential services, such as the police and ambulance services, are unable to move along the roadway. This diversion of traffic and associated impacts, they point out, will become a daily occurrence. As a less serious, but nonetheless apparent concern for USCATA as a result of the increased traffic, is the devaluation of residential property and difficulties businesses will have in operating efficiently.

Also worrying to USCATA is that SANRAL have indicated to then that the upkeep of alternative route roads is not their concern. This is particularly worrying to USCATA since it will be a result SANRAL’s toll road that the alternative roads will become congested and degraded. USCATA see it that SANRAL is the only beneficiary in this case, while the municipality and the residents and businesses of the area are forced to bear the burden of the impacts and costs of the toll road.

Other Issues and Concerns

USCATA see no physical way in which the N2 could be upgraded to justify the tolling of the road. They feel that the road cannot be widened throughout it’s length from Umkomasa to Isipingo, despite the additional road reserve to the west of the road. This is due to the bridges and other ‘bottle-neck’ area along the road where resettlement or relocation would have to take place if the road were to be widened.

USCATA take issue with the fact that the N2 would essentially be tolled without any benefits accrued by the users or by the Ethekwini Municipality. Instead, they say that the toll that would be paid would go towards national projects rather than local municipal projects. If the road is a national project (referring to the full length of the intended highway) then it should be paid for from national coffers, not from the pockets of municipal commuters and businesses.

Another form of cost that USCATA voiced as a concern was that of time. They argue that rather than shortening travel time, the introduction of toll booths along a relatively short stretch of highway will actually increase travel time. This will be due to the repeated stopping and starting of vehicles as they move through toll booths that have been reported as being between 2 and 2.5km apart. Associated with this will be the increase in air pollution from trucks that are forced to idle at each toll booth, again having ripple effects on the surrounding area.

In addition USCATA point out that the toll road will severely impact on the dry dock that the municipality is in the process of constructing, as well as Durban North and the already under-construction Durban International Airport.

Mitigation Measures

As a primary mitigation measure against the potential negative impacts of the proposed tolling of the N2 Highway south of Durban, USCATA suggest the building of an entirely new outer ring-road. USCATA stress that they see absolutely no benefits accruing from the tolling of the current N2 infrastructure, and in particular the tolling of the current N2 alignment, and subsequently cannot suggest any measures to maximise benefits that they don’t see as existing. Rather, USCATA warn that the tolling of the current alignment of the N2 highway without viable alternative roads will only bring negative impacts to the direct area and subsequently the broader municipal area.

Posted on August 22nd, 2007
Filed under: Current Issues