Favourable reviews as Cape Town rolls out access bus
Cape Town’s first access bus, the Optare Solo SR, has been welcomed by residents living on the MyCiTi route from the Civic Centre to Walmer Estate and Salt River.
The access bus started operation in March and previously excluded groups, such as the blind and mobility impaired, have joined residents and students at the Cape Peninsula University in using the buses.
All residents can now access connections to the Cape Town and Salt River railheads, as well as the city and other MyCiTi routes from the Civic Centre station.
The routes on which British bus manu- facturer Optare Solo’s SRs would ope- rate created a challenge, as the historic District Six, Walmer Estate and Woodstock suburbs are situated on the slopes of Table Mountain. They are characterised by twisting, narrow, congested streets, with steep inclines and sharp corners. A conventional bus chassis could not cope with these demands.
The UK-manufactured but South African assembled Optare Solo SR provides the necessary manoeuvrability because of its minimal front overhang, low floor and nine-metre length.
Despite its compact size, the vehicle accommodates 50 passengers, 25 of whom seated. It is powered by a rear-mounted Cummins diesel engine, which meets Euro 5 emissions targets and is compatible with the Allison automatic transmission, fitted for its suitability for stop-start operations and smooth gear changes.
The low-floor Optare Solo SRs have boarding ramps and no steps, so boarding and alighting is at pavement level.
Further, same-level docking at MyCiTi stations offers ease of access and seamless transfer for all, including the elderly, wheelchair users and mothers with prams.
Jeremy Opperman, who is blind, states on behalf of many with disabilities: “The tactile paving helps us find our way and audio signals alert us when the bus doors open. The new service allows me to get to town, the waterfront and the airport independently.”
“To guarantee success, we worked closely with the operating companies and released 20 vehicles early for driver training,” says Western Cape Busmark 2000 GM Malcolm Wilken.
The Optare is assembling more than 200 of its Solo SR vehicles at its Elsies River factory, in the Western Cape, creating 150 new jobs in the process. The order from Cape Town and the partnership with Busmark 2000 is Optare’s largest-ever export order. There is significant potential for future orders in Cape Town and in other South African cities, where the performance of these new buses is studied closely.
“It is clear that there is a real need and appetite for a good, reliable public transport service in these areas and that MyCiTi has all it takes to fulfil this need,” says Cape Town Mayoral Committee member for transport, roads and storm- water Brett Herron.
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