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Transport only SWC worry

2010-06-09 17:12
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Johannesburg - World Cup organisers said Wednesday that everything is in place for Friday's kick-off, but said opening-day traffic jams remain a concern and pleaded with fans to leave their cars home.

The spokesperson for South Africa's World Cup organising committee, Rich Mkhondo, said: "We urge the 90 000 spectators who will be coming here to exercise restraint when it comes to using their own cars, because there are buses and trains which will drop them right at the door.

"It's a worry that we may have some gridlock or congestion," he told reporters at a briefing on final preparations.

"I'm shifting that concern to fellow South Africans and the hundreds of visitors who are coming here, to use our public transportation system, which is very good."

Concerns about match-day gridlock emerged last month when two World Cup warm-up events at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, the venue for the opening and final matches, were marred by bumper-to-bumper traffic that made many fans arrive late.

Organisers have since been urging fans to go to Soccer City on Johannesburg's Metrorail commuter trains or the new Bus Rapid Transit system.

Mkhondo said the trip could take up to an hour and a half by car, but just 15 minutes by train.

Fans who drive will have to leave their cars at park-and-ride stations and take shuttles to the stadium or enter the grounds on foot.

Friday's opening ceremony will be followed by the kick-off match between South Africa and Mexico.

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