Public service offerings contribute to demand for property in related areas

WITH the City of Cape Town striving to provide services to residents that contribute to the upgrading of lifestyles across all income segments it is no surprise that this affects the demand for property in areas.

The continual addition of routes on the MyCiti bus service and the roll-out of free wifi nodes in certain areas across the Western Cape are among the cities initiatives that affect property prices, says Michael Bauer, managing director of IHPC estate agency.

The latest MyCiti bus route to be opened is in Dunoon, and this now creates a reliable, cost effective route to the CBD from the once- isolated area that relied on informal taxis and the train service.

“Access to public transport is so important for all, as is the need to reduce the horrendous traffic congestion on most major highways and roads at present,” says Bauer.

“The MyCiti bus service now covers many areas of Cape Town, from the Atlantic seaboard all the way through to Hout Bay, and the Western Seaboard up to the Atlantis areas.

“In Cape Town’s CBD there are various routes, so you can get about quite easily without having to walk long distances.

“The low cost of using this service is a huge plus, if you compare the running and parking costs – which can sometimes be four times the amount spent on public transport – of using your own vehicle to travel to work and back or to shopping and entertainment nodes.”

The free wifi nodes are dotted all over suburbs of Cape Town, and as far as Knysna, with many more to come over the next three years.

The map indicating where you can use this free service is available on http://www.htxt.co.za/2016/03/ 16/ where- t o- f i nd- wester nc a p e s - 5 0 - new- p ubl i c - wif - hotspots-launched-today/.

“This will help people who can’t afford to have their own connections in their homes nor the cost of 3G.

“By making wifi accessible at reasonable rates through the city’s service providers, this will help everyone connect with others and services much more easily,” says Bauer.

“As more public service offerings become available we can expect to see – as with the MyCiti bus rollout – many more people choosing to live along those routes, and demand will continue to outstrip supply,” says Bauer.