It was further agreed to include the extension of the existing R300 from Vanguard Drive across the Philippi Horticultural Area to Prince George Drive in the scheme.  The then Cape Metropolitan Council planned the route for many years including a comprehensive EIA and Public Participation Process.  A number of toll plazas are proposed on the route.  The proposed tolling system includes a combination of ramp and mainline toll plazas and takes into account the urban nature of the road.  Penway and SANRAL have attempted to devise an equitable tolling strategy based on the user pays principle, i.e. each user pays for the section of road that he/she uses without subsidizing any other user or road section.  Tolls would be collected through manual and state of the art electronic toll collection systems to handle the high volumes of traffic that would use the road on a daily basis. See Figure 1 for details of the route and toll plaza positions.

 RESULTS OF SCOPING

The Scoping exercise entailed initial specialist investigation on both the biophysical and social environment, and a public participation process.  The Final Scoping Report that was submitted and approved by the authorities in 2001 recommended the following: 

    That further specialist investigation be commissioned on:

• Vegetation

• Birds, and Butterflies

• Reptiles and amphibians

• Wetlands and rivers

• Geohydrology

• Planning

• Visual

• Archaeology

    That the public participation process continues through the impact assessment phase.

    More detailed investigation on the traffic will also be undertaken by the traffic consultants to Penway.

THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT PHASE

The Impact Assessment phase will entail a further public participation process, and detailed specialist investigation.

Public Participation Process (PPP)

During the scoping phase, approximately 2000 I&APs registered on the database.  Communication during the EIA phase will be with these I&APs on the database, and any additional ones that register throughout the process.

The proposed methodology for the PPP is as follows:

    Distributing this Background Information Document (#2), updating I&APs on the process;

    Conducting a “Knock ‘n Drop” to homes adjacent to the proposed road:

    Placing a notification of the EIA process in the local media;

    Conducting 6 focus group meetings in March and April 2002;

    Hosting 5 Open Houses in June 2002;

    Circulating the draft EIR for public review in August 2002, and

    Hosting 4 Open Houses in August 2002 to aid the review process.

Adverts will be placed in the major newspapers to inform the public of the dates of the Open Houses.

Specialist Investigation

Based on the findings of the scoping phase, the following specialists have been identified:

Freshwater Ecology

Bill Harding

Southern Water Ecological Research and Consulting cc

Geohydrology

Roger Parsons

Parsons and Associates

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