Afrikaans:
In Januarie 2025 het New York heffings in die middestad geïmplementeer om verkeer en besoedeling te verminder. Terselfdetyd is die doelwit om die gebruik van publieke vervoer aan te moedig en ekstra fondse vir die onderhoud van publieke vervoer te genereer.
New York is reeds vir twee agtereenvolgende jare die wêreldstad met die meeste verkeersknope, berig die firma INRIX wat internasionale verkeer-tendense analiseer. Volgens The Economist was daar die eerste Maandag na implementering reeds minder verkeersknope, ten spyte van die feit dat heelwat bestuurders nog nie aan die nuwe riglyne gehoor gegee het nie.
New York se verkeersheffings volg in hooftrekke die model wat London reeds in 2003 geïmplementeer het. Volgens ‘n persverklaring op die heffings se 20-jaar herdenking het die heffings tot 18% minder verkeer wat die middestad binnekom en 30% minder verkeersknope gelei, terwyl die verkope van buskaartjies met 33% gestyg het.
New York se verkeersheffings word onder andere deur die herverkose President Trump teengestaan. New York kan egter deur Londen se deursettingsvermoë om met die heffings voort te gaan, geïnspireer word. Tydens die Londense implementeringsfase het die Raad van Westminister beweer dat burgers se toegang tot onderwys en gesondheid verhoed word, maar die Raad het die betrokke hofsaak teen die Stad van Londen verloor.
‘n Artikel in The Conversation verduidelik dat London se verkeersheffings sukses behaal, omdat die heffings eerstens deel was van ‘n meer omvattende plan om verkeer in die stad te verbeter. Tweedens was die motivering vir die heffings eenvouding – om verkeer in die middestad te verminder en om fondse te genereer vir die aaneenlopende verbetering van publieke vervoersisteme.
Soos die Universiteit se klasse weer begin en met die groot aantal studente en personeel wat na en van Stellenbosch pendel, het Stellenbosch ook verantwoordbare en volhoubare oplossings vir verkeersopeenhopings nodig.
English
In January 2025 New York implemented a congestion charge to reduce traffic and pollution. At the same time the purpose of the charge is to encourage the use of public transportation and to raise money for the city’s public transport network. New York is the world’s most congested city for the second year in a row, according to a traffic analysis firm, INRIX. The Economist reports that traffic congestion was less on the first Monday of implementation, even though many drivers did not remember or adhere to the new guidelines.
New York’s Congestion Charge roughly follows the model implemented by London in 2003. According to an official press release on its 20-year anniversary, the London charge resulted in 18% less traffic entering the zone, 30% less congestion and boosted bus travel by 33%.
New York’s initiative is opposed by newly elected president Trump, amongst others. At the time of implementation, London City also received opposition against its charge. Westminster Council claimed that citizens will be cut off from education and healthcare, but the Council lost the court case they initiated against the City of London.
An article in The Conversation outlines that the London Congestion Charge’s success depended firstly on the fact that the Congestion Charge was only one aspect of a bigger plan to improve traffic in the city. Secondly, the motivation behind the Charge was simple – to reduce inner city traffic and to generate funds to improve public transport on an ongoing basis.
In February lectures at Stellenbosch University will commence and with the number of students and staff commuting in and out of Stellenbosch, we need sustainable and responsible solutions to traffic congestion.
