Golden Arrow appeals MyCiti bus service ruling

21 May 2013 - 10:45 By Sapa
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Golden Arrow Bus Services has turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal to challenge a high court decision in favour of the City of Cape Town.

“After careful deliberation of the judgment, GABS has been advised that reasonable grounds exist for another court reaching a different conclusion on critical issues,” GABS general manager Francois Meyer said in a statement on Monday.

“GABS has heeded this counsel and has therefore submitted an application for leave to appeal this judgment in the Supreme Court of Appeal.” 

The Western Cape High Court last month dismissed an application by Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) to have the MyCiti bus service expansion halted in Cape Town.

GABS had wanted to compel the city to enter into a mediation and arbitration process to resolve disputes relating to the roll-out of certain routes in the city.

It also wanted to prevent the city from negotiating and concluding a 12-year-contract to operate MyCiti buses in extended areas.

The high court found that compelling it to go through such a process would make it impossible for the city to fulfil its mandate to integrate services into an overall public transport system.

According to the National Land Transport Act, the city was obliged to negotiate, but not to agree to something.

The application was dismissed with costs.

“GABS is concerned about the precedent that will be set in the future rollout of the MyCiti services if the judgment handed down... is upheld,” said Meyer.

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