Motorist heading to work from East London’s eastern suburbs towards the city centre were caught in a traffic jam due to the closure of lanes on the Beacon Bay on and off-ramps connected to the N2 yesterday morning.
The Buffalo City Metro’s (BCM) traffic services was not even aware of the lane closures.
Traffic was backed up on Bonza Bay and Batting roads and the N2, causing headaches not only for motorists but also for metro’s traffic services, who were taken by surprise by the closures.
BCM acting head of traffic services Quinton Chetty said he was “disappointed” that Sanral had not informed the city in advance of the lane closures.
He said two pointsmen had to be deployed at the intersection of Old Transkei and Batting roads to ease traffic flow.
Speaking on behalf of Sanral, JP Roodt of Meropa Communications said the congestion caused by “two lanes into one” began at 7am yesterday.
He explained that the westbound carriageway on the N2 was also closed off yesterday morning.
The closures were removed when the extent of the gridlocks became apparent and re-started at 9.30am.
He said the reason the lanes were blocked off was for “road rejuvenation fog-spraying” and that closures would be moved on a daily basis as work progressed.
However, he assured motorists this would no longer be done during peak traffic times.
“There are only a few closures left to complete the fog spray,” he said. Fog spray is an emulsion applied to asphalt to seal it.
Roodt said a meeting with traffic officials would be held to explain how the 10-month contract and traffic accommodation would be rolled out.
Road closures surprise metro cops, motorists
The Buffalo City Metro’s (BCM) traffic services was not even aware of the lane closures.
Traffic was backed up on Bonza Bay and Batting roads and the N2, causing headaches not only for motorists but also for metro’s traffic services, who were taken by surprise by the closures.
BCM acting head of traffic services Quinton Chetty said he was “disappointed” that Sanral had not informed the city in advance of the lane closures.
He said two pointsmen had to be deployed at the intersection of Old Transkei and Batting roads to ease traffic flow.
Speaking on behalf of Sanral, JP Roodt of Meropa Communications said the congestion caused by “two lanes into one” began at 7am yesterday.
He explained that the westbound carriageway on the N2 was also closed off yesterday morning.
The closures were removed when the extent of the gridlocks became apparent and re-started at 9.30am.
He said the reason the lanes were blocked off was for “road rejuvenation fog-spraying” and that closures would be moved on a daily basis as work progressed.
However, he assured motorists this would no longer be done during peak traffic times.
“There are only a few closures left to complete the fog spray,” he said. Fog spray is an emulsion applied to asphalt to seal it.
Roodt said a meeting with traffic officials would be held to explain how the 10-month contract and traffic accommodation would be rolled out.
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