Three road accidents involving trucks in four days – and two people killed. What will it take to get the N2 bypass built so freight trucks can stay out of Knysna? It looks as if the answer may be a toll road.
It’s crazy that if you want to go, say, from the bank to a coffee shop, you have to cross a national highway. Remember the woman who was killed by a passing truck near the post office as she waited to cross the road? I’m pretty sure truck drivers would welcome an N2 bypass, but I hear some locals think a bypass might mean lost business. I said that to a business friend who laughed: “What? They’re worried truck drivers won’t stop for that pie anymore?” Seriously, how many residents – and tourists, who underpin Knysna’s economy – want the stink, noise, congestion and danger of trucks travelling through town? The road authorities recognised this in the 1960s and 1970s and proclaimed a new N2 route north of town. But there was a public outcry because some sections went through forest, and the bypass was shelved. It kinda feels that Knysna lost its chance. The proclaimed road reserve is still there – the land State procured for the N2 bypass – but the money is not. Randall Cable, Western Cape head of the SA National Roads Agency Ltd (SANRAL), said because of increased development on the Garden Route, this section of the N2 had to serve competing functions of “mobility” – how fast goods and people could travel – and “accessibility” – how easily people could reach their jobs, shops, schools etc. This increased road safety concerns and slowed traffic flow. “The ultimate solution is to build the N2 on the proclaimed road reserve of the 1960s/1970s. However, with severe budget constraints, this is only likely to happen in the distant future.” Another problem: people moved in and built houses on part of the N2 road reserve, roughly between Simola and the Uniondale Road, so SANRAL donated this settled land to the Knysna Municipality around 2016/17. But that means other land has to be found to replace it, which is “very tricky” because the land to the north is more mountainous. “That means tunnels and long bridges which have high costs.” So: a desperate need for a bypass, but no money to build it. “There is one way to bring this bypass forward and that is as a toll road,” Randall said. Would people be willing to pay tolls to have the N2 out of Knysna? I think truckers would vote with their wheels. Over 90% of freight in the Western Cape is moved on the N1, N2 and N7. Drive Alive says “high density freight routes on the Garden Route, like Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, have a history of heavy vehicle accidents, heavily impacting passenger vehicles.” We saw that last week with the tragic death of two Knysna residents. Knysna needs to have a serious conversation about this: How badly do we need a bypass, and if there is no money to build it, will we support a toll road?
