Roland Postma•1 month ago Dear City Cape Town,IntroductionThis comment is submitted by the Active Mobility Forum, a programme of Young Urbanists NPC. AMF is a cross-sector coalition advancing walking, cycling and other forms of micromobility in Cape Town and South Africa.AMF brings together civil society, government partners, the private sector, organisations and residents under one banner to create safer, more accessible and more people-centred streets. Our work responds to a transport system that still prioritises private vehicles, often at the expense of pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, children, older persons, persons with disabilities and lower-income communities.South Africa’s streets were largely built around cars, not people. This has created unsafe and inaccessible conditions for many road users, especially those who walk, cycle or rely on public transport for daily mobility. In Cape Town, congestion, road trauma, transport costs and unequal access continue to place a heavy burden on residents and the economy.AMF works across three lanes of action: public-facing advocacy through rides, forums, workshops and campaigns; strategic advocacy through engagement with government, policy makers and partners; and on-street advocacy through practical demonstrations and street experiments.Our work includes the Safe Passage Programme, Safe Mobility Hub and Street Experiments South Africa, which help test safer street designs, support micromobility, improve road safety and build practical public-private partnership models for better streets.AMF was founded in 2022 through a partnership between Cape Town’s Bicycle Mayor, Sindile Mavundla, and Young Urbanists NPC. It is collaborative, supportive and evidence-led. We believe streets are public spaces, safety and access must not depend on income or location, and real-world demonstration is one of the most effective ways to build support for change.We welcome the opportunity to comment on the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy. We support the Strategy’s shift toward a Safe System Approach, stronger protection for vulnerable road users, safer speeds, evidence-based planning and improved enforcement.Our comment focuses on strengthening the Strategy’s implementation tools so that safer streets can be tested, delivered, measured and scaled faster across Cape Town.This submission is structured in two parts: first, a comparison section that tests the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy against existing Council-approved policies, and second, an ideas section that proposes practical programmes and wording for inclusion in the Strategy.Together, these sections show where the draft already aligns, where it can be strengthened, and how the City can move from policy intent to implementation.Comparison sectionThe table below compares the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy against two Council-approved policies, the Walking and Cycling Strategy for Cape Town and Designing Quality Places: Urban Design Policy. It identifies where the draft already aligns, where it can be strengthened, and what wording should be added to improve implementation.Principle: Safer physical infrastructureDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, but the strategy needs stronger design detail and measurable targets.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft identifies unsafe or missing infrastructure as a key road safety gap. It creates a “Safer Roads” area focused on high-risk corridors, safety retrofits, proactive design, forgiving infrastructure, NMT implementation, traffic calming, road safety audits and vulnerable road user protection. This is on pages 38 to 40 of the 2026 draft.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s stronger requirement that walking and cycling network planning and design guidance must be updated, and that Transport Impact Assessments should prioritise walking, cycling and public transport. It says this should align with the Traffic Calming Policy and Road Safety Strategy, page 48.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s “Design streets as positive public space” principle. It says streets should be people-centric, safe, multifunctional public spaces, with NMT, active mobility and micromobility designed from the early stages, especially around schools, public facilities, shopping centres, PTIs and urban nodes, pages 22 to 23.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should state that all road safety infrastructure, audits, retrofits and high-risk corridor upgrades must prioritise pedestrians, cyclists, universal access and public transport access from the earliest design stage. This should include protected walking and cycling facilities, safe crossings, traffic calming, lighting, wayfinding, shade and maintenance.Principle: High-risk corridors and NMTDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, but the draft should be more explicit on protection and continuity.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft includes a High-Risk Corridor NMT Implementation Programme and a Dedicated Vulnerable Road User Protection Plan. It also says safer roads should cater to pedestrians and cyclists in particular, page 39.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s point that Cape Town needs revised local active mobility design guidance, especially for cycle lanes and intersections. It also notes the need for wider and better separated facilities due to e-bikes, e-scooters and newer bicycle types, page 26.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s requirement to avoid obstacles in walkways and crossings, maximise walkways, connect NMT routes to public transport, and separate pedestrians from NMT routes and private vehicles where needed, pages 22 to 23.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should define high-risk corridor upgrades as continuous protected walking and cycling routes, with safe intersections, clear crossings, universal access, public transport connections and physical separation where vehicle speeds or volumes create risk.Principle: Speed management through designDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, but it should connect more directly to walking and cycling design.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft includes a Speed Management Plan, Speed Limit Review Plan, traffic calming programmes and data-driven prioritisation of enforcement using speed heat maps, page 39.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s support for aggressive traffic calming and speed reductions to 20 to 30 km/h on lower-order roads, page 42.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s street design approach, where streets support movement, social activity, comfort, landscaping and climate resilience, pages 22 to 23.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should link speed management to street context. Lower speed limits and traffic calming should be prioritised around schools, public facilities, PTIs, urban nodes, local streets and places with high pedestrian and cycling activity.Principle: School zones and public facilitiesDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, but the draft can use stronger place-based language.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft includes a Safer School Zones Programme with traffic calming, high-visibility signage, scholar patrol support, peak-period traffic management and safer routes to schools, page 45.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s call for community and school programmes that support more people to walk, cycle and use public transport, page 48.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s focus on schools, public facilities, shopping centres, PTIs and urban nodes as places where NMT, active mobility and micromobility must be designed early, pages 22 to 23.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should treat school zones and public facilities as priority safe access precincts, not only isolated traffic calming sites. These areas should include slower speeds, safe crossings, protected walking and cycling access, lighting, passive surveillance and public transport integration.Principle: Enforcement and better behaviourDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, but it needs clearer measurable targets.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft identifies lawless driver behaviour and weak enforcement as a road safety problem. It includes data-driven enforcement, a Road Safety Enforcement Operational Framework, prosecution and adjudication strengthening, and a Road Safety Culture Campaign, pages 38 to 40 and 47.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s direct support for strong enforcement of road traffic transgressions by motorists, public transport, pedestrians and cyclists, page 42.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s safety principle that space and activities should be organised to reduce risk to people, particularly vulnerable users, pages 20 to 21.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should include measurable enforcement targets for speeding, reckless driving, drunk driving, distracted driving, pedestrian safety offences, illegal parking in walkways and cycle lanes, and public transport behaviour in high-risk areas.Principle: Incentives and behaviour changeDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, but it is underdeveloped.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft includes diversionary education programmes for selected offences, where offenders complete approved road safety courses as part of compliance or eligibility for reduced penalties. It also includes a Road Safety Culture Campaign and Behavioural Road Safety Evidence Repository, pages 38 to 39.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s demand-side approach. It says infrastructure alone is not enough, and that community-building, education, safety awareness, walking and cycling clubs, bike buses and open streets can support behaviour change, page 42.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s support for streets as social, cultural and economic public spaces. This gives the behaviour-change work a place-based foundation, pages 22 to 23.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should expand incentives into a formal behaviour-change programme. This should include diversion courses, school programmes, public campaigns, community walking and cycling initiatives, and open street or safe street pilots in high-risk areas.Principle: Personal security and perceived safetyDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Yes, and this is a strong point in the draft.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft says road safety infrastructure can be undermined by personal insecurity. It calls for natural surveillance, open visibility, avoiding isolated pedestrian routes, better lighting and social presence, pages 34 to 35.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s point that good street lighting, placemaking, passive and active surveillance, and safer walking and cycling routes are needed, page 42.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s healthy and safe communities objective, including accessible route choice, passive surveillance, appropriate lighting and avoiding isolated infrastructure such as underpasses where possible, pages 20 to 21.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should make personal security a required test for all pedestrian, cycling and public transport access projects. Safe infrastructure should be visible, lit, direct, overlooked, maintained and connected to active public spaces.Principle: Road design standards and approvalsDoes the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy cater for it?Partly. This is one of the main areas to strengthen.What the 2026 draft already coversThe draft includes an Infrastructure Design Standards Review to embed safety principles citywide, page 45. It also includes road safety audits and appraisals.What can be added from the Walking and Cycling StrategyAdd the Walking and Cycling Strategy’s Stage Gate recommendation, which says the process should specifically assess universal access, walking and cycling, page 42.What can be added from the Urban Design PolicyAdd the Urban Design Policy’s approval process role. It says the policy can guide applications, City projects, information requirements, assessment, conditions of approval, implementation, operation and maintenance, pages 12 to 13.Suggested comment to addThe Draft Road Safety Strategy should require road safety audits, Transport Impact Assessments and City project stage gates to assess walking, cycling, universal access, speed risk, lighting, public transport access, maintenance and public realm quality.Ideas sectionThe table below proposes practical additions to the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy, focused on safer infrastructure, faster implementation, stronger enforcement and behaviour change. Each proposal links the idea to the relevant strategy principle and suggests where the wording could be inserted in the draft.Idea: Street experiments and tactical urbanismPrinciple it falls underSafe System Design and Infrastructure. Data Driven Leadership and Continuous Improvement. Shared Responsibility and Accountability.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer Roads, page 39, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should establish a Street Experiments and Tactical Urbanism Programme to test temporary and semi-permanent road safety interventions before permanent implementation. This should include protected cycling lanes, road diets, intersection redesigns, traffic calming, safer crossings, school streets and first and last mile safety upgrades. Each pilot should include monitoring, public feedback, before-and-after data and a clear decision pathway to adjust, remove, extend or make the intervention permanent. The annual implementation plan should include a minimum yearly target for street experiments in high-risk areas and in non high-risk areas.” The Draft Strategy already supports safer roads, high-risk corridor NMT implementation and vulnerable road user protection on pages 38 to 40. The Bree Street Experiment shows a temporary, reversible pilot with monitoring and possible adjustment, extension, removal or permanence. See Bree Street Experiment concept note, attached separately.Idea: Daylighting intersections and pedestrian crossingsPrinciple it falls underSafer Roads. Safer Speeds. Evidence-Based Planning and Data Systems.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer Roads, page 39, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should establish a Daylighting and Crossing Safety Programme to improve visibility, universal access and physical protection at intersections and pedestrian crossings. The programme should prioritise high-risk corridors, school zones, public transport access routes, public facilities and locations with known pedestrian crash risk. Quick-build materials such as safe-hit bollards, modular kerbs and road markings should be permitted where appropriate to accelerate implementation before permanent construction. The programme should include annual delivery targets, dedicated funding, compliance tracking and public reporting.” The Draft Strategy calls for safer road design, safer crossings and protection of vulnerable users on pages 38 to 40. The Strategy also says implementation planning should include budgets, timelines, accountability and KPIs on pages 41 to 42.Idea: Upgrade painted cycling lanes to protected cycling lanesPrinciple it falls underSafer Roads. Safe System Design and Infrastructure. Equity and Accessibility.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer Roads, page 39, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should establish a Protected Cycling Upgrade Programme to review existing painted cycling lanes and upgrade priority routes into protected and connected cycling facilities. The programme should start with high-risk and high-demand areas, including the CBD, routes to public transport and corridors where vehicle speed, illegal parking, poor continuity or lack of protection reduces cyclist safety. The programme should allow approved collaboration with civil society, businesses and private sector partners for delivery, maintenance, monitoring and public communication.” The Draft Strategy includes high-risk corridor NMT implementation and a vulnerable road user protection plan on page 39. The Walking and Cycling Strategy identifies incomplete and fragmented active mobility infrastructure, and the need to assess separation, crossings, intersections and interaction with other modes on pages 28 and 30.Idea: Open Streets and School StreetsPrinciple it falls underSafer People. Shared Responsibility and Accountability. Informed and Responsible Road Users.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer People, page 38, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should establish an Open Streets and School Streets Programme to support temporary street openings for walking, cycling, play, road safety education and community use. The programme should include a simplified non-event application pathway, a City-led annual programme and a toolkit for residents, schools and community organisations. School Streets pilots should be prioritised in locations where learners face high road safety risk, with traffic management, public communication, monitoring and clear criteria for continuation or adjustment.” The Walking and Cycling Strategy supports open streets, walking and cycling clubs, bike buses, school road safety training, scholar patrols and crossing guards on pages 42 to 43.Idea: Easier traffic calming applications and quick-build deliveryPrinciple it falls underSafer Speeds. Safer Roads. Institutional Capacity, Coordination and Governance.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer Speeds, page 38, Chapter 7.3, Enabling Conditions and Capacity Building, page 42, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should develop a simplified traffic calming application and delivery pathway, including quick-build or modular options where technically feasible. The pathway should prioritise schools, public facilities, vulnerable road users, high-risk crossings and locations with proven crash history or serious incidents. It should include clear response times, standard design options, public communication, maintenance responsibilities and escalation routes for urgent safety risks.” The Traffic Calming Policy recognises around 900 requests per year, limited resources and backlogs on pages 1 to 3. It also sets a target of 60 schools per financial year and allows private or other parties to fund certain calming measures on pages 10 to 13.Idea: Protect and improve signalised on-grade pedestrian crossingsPrinciple it falls underSafer Roads. Safer Speeds. Safe System Design and Infrastructure. Equity and Accessibility.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer Roads, page 39, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Also link to Road Safety Audits and Appraisals. Suggested wording: “The City should establish a Signalised Pedestrian Crossing Protection Programme to review all on-grade signalised pedestrian crossings, with priority given to high-risk corridors, schools, public facilities, public transport access routes and areas with high pedestrian volumes. The review should assess whether pedestrian crossings are sufficiently protected through exclusive ped-signal phasing, longer pedestrian crossing times, reduced turning conflicts, pedestrian-only phases where required, universal access, visibility, lighting, refuge space, push-button accessibility and maintenance. Where pedestrian risk is high, the City should implement exclusive ped signal timing changes and intersection protection measures within a defined timeframe. Priority signalised crossings should be reviewed within two years, with annual public reporting on progress.” The Draft Strategy identifies safer crossings, improved intersection layouts and pedestrian refuges as road design measures on page 21. The Walking and Cycling Strategy identifies inconsistent universal access, poorly installed UA provisions and obstructions near intersections on page 28.Idea: Review signalised and unsignalised pedestrian crossingsPrinciple it falls underSafer Roads. Safer Speeds. Evidence-Based Planning and Data Systems.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer Roads, page 39, Chapter 6.2, Evidence-Based Planning and Data Systems, page 39, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should establish a Pedestrian Crossing and Signal Review Programme to improve both signalised and unsignalised crossings. The programme should prioritise high-risk corridors, schools, public facilities, public transport access routes and activity centres. The review should assess pedestrian waiting time, crossing time, desire lines, visibility, lighting, universal access, refuge provision, turning conflicts, signal phasing, push-button accessibility and maintenance. The City should also develop clearer approval guidelines for new crossings and crossing upgrades.” The Draft Strategy supports safe pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, reduced conflict points, visibility and safe routes to school on page 21. The Walking and Cycling Strategy identifies inconsistent universal access, poorly installed UA provisions and obstructions near intersections on page 28.Idea: Citizen reporting for illegal parking and obstruction offencesPrinciple it falls underEnforcement and Adjudication for Safer Behaviour. Data Driven Leadership and Continuous Improvement.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 5.2, Enforcement and Adjudication for Safer Behaviour, page 37, Chapter 6.2, Evidence-Based Planning and Data Systems, page 39, and Chapter 7.7, Road Safety Enforcement Operational Framework, page 47. Suggested wording: “The City should establish an evidence-based enforcement system that allows fines to be issued for illegal parking and obstruction offences using submitted photographic or video evidence, supported by a statement from the complainant, without requiring the City to dispatch an officer to the site before action can be taken. This should apply to offences that directly undermine pedestrian, cycling and public transport safety, including vehicles parked on sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, cycle lanes, dropped kerbs, bus stops and other protected movement spaces. The system should be built into the City’s existing reporting channels, including the City of Cape Town app or other approved digital platforms like WhatsApp, and should include clear evidentiary standards, time and location requirements, privacy safeguards, chain-of-evidence procedures and appeal processes. Where current procedures do not allow fines to be issued on this basis, the City should identify the legal, by-law, operational or administrative changes required to enable it. This would reduce the need for costly dispatch-based enforcement, improve response times and create a stronger deterrent against illegal parking and obstruction.” Please note, where current procedures do not allow fines to be issued on this basis, the City should identify the legal, by-law, operational or administrative changes required to enable it.The Draft Strategy says enforcement must be timely, proportionate and linked to the severity of the violation on page 37, and includes a Road Safety Enforcement Operational Framework on page 47. The Walking and Cycling Strategy identifies illegal vehicle parking on sidewalks and vehicles driving or parking in cycle lanes as problems on page 28.Idea: Cycling incentives and possible rebatesPrinciple it falls underSafer People. Sustainable Urban Mobility. Shared Responsibility and Accountability.Suggested wording to the City, including where to add itAdd under Chapter 6.1, Safer People, page 38, Chapter 7.7, Road Safety Culture Campaign, and Chapter 7.7, Programmes, pages 43 to 44. Suggested wording: “The City should investigate a Cycling Incentives Programme to encourage businesses, institutions and individuals to support cycling as a safe and practical transport option. The programme may include secure bicycle parking, showers, employer cycling programmes, delivery rider facilities, bike repair support, bike-share partnerships and incentives for developments or businesses that measurably reduce car trips and support cycling. Any municipal rates rebate or tax-related incentive should be subject to legal, financial and equity review before adoption.” The Walking and Cycling Strategy says the City should incentivise its employees to cycle to work and encourage cycling programmes by other businesses on page 43. It also lists private sector cycling incentives such as bike parking and showers on page 43.ConclusionAMF supports the intent of the 2026 Draft Road Safety Strategy and welcomes its shift toward a Safe System Approach, safer speeds, vulnerable road user protection, evidence-led planning and stronger enforcement. This is the right direction for Cape Town.To make the Strategy more effective, it must move from policy intent to visible delivery. The Strategy should include clearer programmes, annual targets, budgets, accountability and reporting for safer crossings, protected cycling routes, traffic calming, school zones, enforcement and street experiments.Cape Town does not need to wait for every solution to be permanent before it makes streets safer. Temporary and tactical interventions can test designs, collect data, build public support and reduce risk while longer-term capital projects are planned.AMF therefore recommends that the City strengthen the Strategy by adding the proposed programmes and implementation tools set out in this submission. These additions would help the City deliver safer streets faster, especially for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, children, older persons, persons with disabilities and communities who rely most on walking and cycling.We remain willing to work with the City, civil society, communities and the private sector to help test, monitor and scale practical road safety interventions across Cape Town.Roland PostmaManaging Director of Young Urbanists NPC and Programme Director for Active Mobility ForumABOUT AMF: The Active Mobility Forum is a programme of Young Urbanists NPC and a cross-sector coalition advancing walking, cycling and micromobility in Cape Town and South Africa. AMF represents and works with civil society, residents, cyclists, pedestrians, public transport users, micromobility users, delivery riders, private sector partners, government stakeholders and organisations committed to safer, more accessible and more people-centred streets.
