Public transport in Gauteng is in a "directionless" shambles, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson James Swart said: "Despite dramatic demographic changes, the old routes largely remain in place".

He said the new highways in Gauteng should not be tolled, and the province should look at alternative ways of funding them.

Swart said building more roads would ease the growing traffic gridlock in Gauteng.

With more than 3 million registered vehicles in Gauteng in 2007, no single major road has been built in the past 15 years, Swart said.

The DA's "rescue" plan recommended that the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Plan should be financed with long-term loans rather than "ruinous" tolls that would add to the cost of doing business in the province.

The party's proposals, based on a DA-commissioned study, stipulated that road maintenance must be properly funded and investment into Metrorail should be accelerated so that it was "safe and reliable".

Swart said priority should be given to the northern part of the PWV9 that linked Mabopane to the N14 and the West Rand.

In response Public Transport spokesperson Alfred Nhlapho said, "MEC for Public Transport Ignatius Jacobs has expressed his confidence that the level of government investment into roads infrastructure will help in building a better Gauteng."

He said government will invest more than R160-billion into the development of roads and public transport infrastructure over the next three years.

"The implementation of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Scheme, which includes the construction of new freeways, such as PWV5 and PWV9, is an indication of the seriousness with which the government views the issue of sustainable mobility," said Nhlapho.

Sapa