Written By John Mutiso 📝
Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has announced that public service vehicles (PSVs) including matatus will be relocated from Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) before the end of April.
As part of attempts to decongest the city center, the Green Park, Desai, and Park Road termini will be the first to open according to the NMS.
According to NMS transport and Public Works Director Engineer Michael Ochieng, the first to be affected will be matatus plying the Ngong, Lang’ata, and Argwings Kodhek routes as well as long-distance trucks from Mt Kenya.
The Sh250 million Green Park terminal is 98 percent complete and has a capacity to hold between 300 and 350 vehicles at once, processing about 1,000 PSVs per hour and up to 20,000 per day.
The terminal will serve as a pick-up and drop-off point for matatus from Ngong, Karen, Rongai, Kikuyu, Dagoretti, Kawangware, Kibra, Highrise, Ngumo, Langata, Nairobi West, Makadara, Kaberia, Satellite and Kiserian.
“The change we are making in this city in terms of traffic to decongest it has been done in other parts of the world and it must be done in Kenya too. We must take the lead in East Africa to show that we are able to manage our public transport,” Mr Ochieng said on Tuesday while speaking to the Business Daily.
He also added that terminals will be digitally controlled, with vehicles electronically captured on a billboard that will show its number plate and route.
Additionally, touting will also be prohibited and each sacco will be limited to three matatus at a time, with a maximum of 20 minutes to drop off and pick up passengers.
“CCTVs will also help in not only securing the park but also in enhancing transparency. The time a vehicle arrives at the park and when it exits will be captured electronically. Passengers will be guided by a public address system and huge information boards already mounted at the park,” he added.
There will, however, be six-66-seater city link shuttle buses to pick up commuters who prefer not to walk to the city center with special groups receiving priority.
“The user-friendly buses, with a capacity of 36 seated and 30 standing passengers, will be plying Green Park and city centre up to Country Bus. The fare to be paid is still being negotiated but will be pocket-friendly and trolley services will be provided,” said NMS head of transport administration Martin Eshiwani.
The other termini set to be opened include Fig Tree, Muthurwa, Globe Roundabout and the Bunyala and Workshop roads junction terminus.
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