The suburbs in northern Cape Town on both sides of the N1 are called the "Northern Suburbs". The main ones are Plattekloof, Bellville, Parow, Tygerberg and Durbanville. Here - about 25 kilometres away from the centre of town - lives the majority of the population of Cape Town. During the week at the rush hours there is stop-and-go traffic on the N1.
Most of the people living in the Northern Suburbs speak Afrikaans as a first language, and so many immigrants from Johannesburg feel very much at home here. As a result the population of the Northern Suburbs is growing steadily. Particularly popular is Durbanville, a very green residential area with big properties and big houses.
The commercial centre of this region is the Tygerberg Centre on the N1, a shopping centre of an enormous size, surrounded by high office buildings.
It is supposed to become an alternative to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and render the Tygerberg centre more attractive for tourists.