Delivery trucks are causing dangerous congestion near a shopping centre in Tijgerhof, say residents.
The trucks park in De Grendel Road, between Koeberg and Fitzpatrick roads, while waiting to offload at Shoprite.
They used to park on the pavement, but since the City erected bollards there about five months ago, they had been parking in the road and blocking it, said Tijgerhof resident Le Roux van Rensburg.
Now trucks standing in the middle of De Grendel Road caused heavy traffic heading out of that road into Koeberg Road.
A Shoprite customers’ parking lot exit onto De Grendel Road had also become more dangerous.
“There have been numerous close-call accidents as a result of these trucks parking in the road and also because of customer vehicles exiting the Shoprite parking area ‘blind’, as they cannot see vehicles travelling on De Grendel Road,” said Mr Van Rensburg.
Tabletalk was there to witness such close calls while talking to Mr Van Rensburg at the parking lot exit.
Lianne Lippert, of the Tygerhof Neighbourhood Watch, said residents were “extremely frustrated” with the situation around Shoprite.
She said that according to the ward councillor, Fabian-Ah-Sing, De Grendel Road residents had asked for the bollards.
“We’ve sent photos to him showing the massive problems that we are now experiencing, with no feedback. We have tried engaging with Shoprite who advise that the trucks must be fined to discourage the behaviour. However, there is nowhere else for them to park while waiting to offload,” said Ms Lippert.
Mr Ah-Sing is out of the country, but his assistant, Maureen Jangle, confirmed that most of the residents in De Grendel Road had asked for the bollards.
Shoprite confirmed in an email that Mr Van Rensburg had contacted their Milnerton branch about the issue and that they had met with traffic authorities to find a solution.
“Shoprite has made representation to the traffic department for an alternative area in Koeberg Road to be made available for delivery trucks and is awaiting feedback,” said the Shoprite statement.
The City’s Traffic Services spokesman, Richard Coleman, said Shoprite management, after meeting with Traffic Services, were changing the outline of the parking bays in the customer parking lot to accommodate some of the delivery trucks there. And discussions were “ongoing” for the trucks to use part of a loading area for taxis and buses.
“Once the new parking plan is in place, Shoprite has agreed to manage the flow of trucks from the loading bays to the delivery door by means of security / time arrival schedules. Congestion should not be a problem once this is in place,” said Mr Coleman.
Shoprite said it would talk to its suppliers to see how delivery times could be changed to prevent congestion in the road.
Ms Lippert said she hoped the problem was solved before someone was injured or killed.
