Relocation of Bus Stop

I am writing to formally raise my concerns regarding the proposed relocation of the Putco bus stop from its current location at Kingsway Avenue & Plantation Road in Auckland Park, which is a well-established, official bus stop also used by Metrobus.

The suggested new stop at 2 Kingsway is approximately 1 km from 2 Main Road Melville, compared to only 650 meters to the current Kingsway & Plantation location. This change would increase walking distance for commuters in a busy city area by over 350 meters, placing an unnecessary burden on daily passengers.

I wish to highlight the following key concerns:

Breach of Subsidy Terms Putco is a government-subsidised service, and as such, it has a duty to serve the public efficiently and conveniently. Moving the stop further away reduces accessibility and convenience, especially for vulnerable community members.

Accessibility Violation South African transport standards recommend that commuters—especially the elderly and people with disabilities—should not have to walk more than 400 meters to a bus stop. The proposed distance greatly exceeds this and creates a serious accessibility barrier.

Regulatory Non-Compliance According to the National Land Transport Act (NLTA) and Johannesburg transport by-laws, all changes to public transport infrastructure, including bus stop locations, require proper planning, audits, and public consultation. To date, there has been no communication or engagement with the affected residents.

Lack of Community Engagement The absence of community consultation on this matter is deeply concerning. This decision affects our daily lives and safety, and the lack of transparency undermines trust in our public transport system.

Fragmentation of Integrated Network The Kingsway & Plantation stop is part of an integrated transport route shared with Metrobus. Relocating the stop disrupts this connectivity and contradicts the City’s Integrated Public Transport Plan.

In light of the above, I respectfully request that this decision be reconsidered. I am also requesting a formal response, including details on how public input will be taken into account going forward.