Friends of Bain's Kloof rallies against heavy vehicles
2005-04-28
The Bain’s Kloof Pass is being used illegally by trucks and trailers which break the restrictions on height, weight and length, severely damaging bridges and walls, says Sieg Kröger, chairman of the Friends of Bain’s Kloof.
The Western Cape Roads department is also concerned about the damage done by heavy vehicles and has appointed Africon to investigate installing new signage and possibly a chicane at both ends of the Pass.
Until that is done, it will be a waste of time to repair the parapets, bridges and retaining walls, says Kröger.
Members and sympathisers are requested to phone the traffic police when they see a heavy vehicle heading up the Pass (873-1121).
The traffic police has also been requested to patrol the Pass on a regular basis to prevent illegal parking on the edge of the narrow road, and to prevent reckless driving.
Traffic calming is also required at Eerste Tol, where cars often race through disregarding the 60km/h speed limit.
Bridges and supporting walls are also being severely damaged by the intrusion of roots of indigenous trees and alien invaders. The Friends have a small team qualified to climb down to treat these roots, and are liaising with the Roads Department and with Cape Nature for permission to do this.
The Friends have also met with the Boland District Roads Department on the upgrading of the picnic sites along the Bain’s Kloof road. Africon has since been appointed by District to plan the initial upgrading of one picnic site.
Meanwile the Friends focus on alien invader plant control and refuse removal in the Pass.
Regular hack meets are held, attended by a small, dedicated group. They have concentrated on small patches of wattle from Eerste Tol down to Gawie se Water, and cleared some of the parking spots between Gawie se Water and the Bain Tunnel.
Eerste Tol through neglect has become an island of mature invasive plants within a nature reserve and the Friends would like to join the home owners at Eerste Tol in a plan to clear wattles and eventually the eucalypts.
The Friends hope to find funds to employ a person to start with a thorough clean-up of rubbish in areas along the road which falls beyond the road reserve on private property or the nature reserve.
“We will continue lobbying for better control of either end of the pass as we believe that a cleaner, more tourist friendly pass will not only attract more tourists, but also more day visitors,” says Kröger. He can be contacted on 873-5541.
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