GO GEORGE ready to roll out four routes in next phase

The next set of routes of the GO GEORGE bus service will be activated on Sunday 28 April. George Municipality, in partnership with the Western Cape Government, announced that GO GEORGE buses will start operating on routes to Conville, Parkdene, Ballotsview, Borcherds and Lawaaikamp, constituting Phase 4B of the planned network of routes.

The first trial phase of the GO GEORGE bus service was launched on 8 December 2014, with two more routes rolled out in the following months. It's been almost four years since the first trial run for the extension of the service to Thembalethu ended badly with buses being set alight in August 2015.

In a press release by George Municipality, it is stated that concerted efforts have been made to roll out in Thembalehtu (Phase 4A) first.

Engagement with all relevant stakeholders in Thembalethu regarding the roll-out of Phase 4A was unsuccessful, thus the due date of April 2019 for the roll-out of Phase 4A could not be met as requested by the National Department of Transport.

Council earlier resolved that Phase 4 will be rolled out by June 2019, and if it is not possible to roll out the bus service in Thembalethu (Phase 4A), Phase 4B must be rolled out. When making the announcement, George Mayor Melvin Naik called upon all stakeholders to make a concerted effort to have a peaceful rollout.

"We must pull all our resources and make a success of this roll-out," he said.

"We want to get to all the other areas within the George municipal boundaries, but Council's decision is to roll out to Phase 4B now. In the meantime, efforts to get Phase 4A (Thembalethu) ready, will continue."

The four routes will cover Parkdene CBD, Parkdene - Garden Route Mall, Parkdene - Blanco, and a comprehensive community route crisscrossing through the streets of Conville, Parkdene, Ballotsview, Lawaaikamp and Borcherds.

This will connect these neighbourhoods with existing GO GEORGE routes operating in and between the CBD, Pacaltsdorp, Denneoord, Loerie Park, Rosemoor, Blanco, Heatherlands, Heather Park and the Garden Route Mall.