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Wild Coast toll: Rethink urged
05/01/2004 19:04 - (SA)
Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Monday urged Tourism and Environmental Affairs Minister Valli Moosa to put a stop to the proposed N2 toll road that will run through the Wild Coast between East London and Durban.
DA transport spokesperson Stuart Farrow said he had sent another request to Moosa urging him to reconsider the decision.
"The DA is in favour of improving the road communication network between the provinces and towns of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, but this must always be prioritised against the needs of those communities affected by such development."
Farrow said the economic impact assessment of the development should have been conducted by the ministry and not the South African National Road Agency.
"This, too, is an abdication of responsibility by the department of environmental affairs, who should be seen to be fully responsible for the social impact assessment and not an agent of the department of transport that ultimately will manage the construction and use of the toll road," he said.
Farrow proposed that the already existing R61 be upgraded.
"There are less-expensive options available, such as the upgrading of the R61 route, which could have the same benefits as the proposed toll road."
The deadline for appeals against the toll road has been extended to the end of January.
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