Cape Town's plan to curb car use in the city

Cape Town traffic has become nightmarish on any given day of the week. Throw in a major event or two, and the situation easily explodes into painstaking gridlock.

The City’s proposed fix?

A Draft Travel Demand Management (TDM) strategy, now open for public comment, that aims to cut private car use, ease congestion, and make public transport, walking, and cycling the easier choice.

The draft, open until 13 November 2025, lays out a mix of pricing, regulatory, and infrastructure measures to shift how and when people travel.

Among the Travel Demand Management ideas on the table:

• Parking limits and new pricing models to discourage single-occupant car trips;
• Dedicated bus, minibus-taxi, and high-occupancy lanes to give public transport a real speed advantage; and
• Park & Ride facilities linked to safer, more reliable connections.

Other proposals include flexible work hours, carpooling incentives, and awareness campaigns to make sustainable travel simpler and more appealing. 

The City says any car restraint measures would roll out alongside improvements to MyCiTi, rail, and non-motorised transport, with any future pricing revenue reinvested in those systems. The plan runs until 2050, with phased goals to reduce emissions and “lock in” congestion relief for the long term.

Globally, cities like London and Singapore are cited as success stories in Travel Demand Management. London’s congestion charge and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) have helped curb car access and emissions since 2003, while Singapore’s electronic road pricing and strict vehicle quotas keep peak-hour traffic flowing. Both have seen measurable results - but Cape Town notes that similar monetary disincentives, such as congestion charging or tolls for solo drivers, would require national or provincial legislation first.

For context, Singapore’s system charges only during peak times in high-demand zones to manage traffic. Vastly different to the scrapped e-tolls in Gauteng, which were a cost-recovery failure. 

Cape Town’s plan nods to Singapore’s success but recognises that congestion pricing would only work here with national approval and stronger public transport in place.

Have your say:

• Online: Submit comments via the City’s online portal here.
• Email: UrbanMobility.CT@capetown.gov.za
• In person: Drop off comment forms at your nearest Subcouncil office or library

Read the full Draft TDM Strategy and executive summaries.

ICYMI: Brains behind latest unfinished freeway bridge proposal shares his story

Sign up to Time Out's free newsletter for expert recommendations on new things to do, see, eat and drink in the Mother City. You can also follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagramand TikTok!