Termini to end transport madness in Nairobi County

By CYRUS OMBATI

NAIROBI; KENYA: More bus termini are to be constructed at three major entry points if the Nairobi county government adopts a raft of proposals aimed at decongesting the capital.

A taskforce formed to address the problem wants new stations constructed at Globe Cinema, Nyayo Stadium and Uhuru Park to cater for public service vehicles plying Githurai, Lang’ata, Kitengela, Dagoretti, Kibera and Kawangware routes.

Those using Jogoo Road will end up at Muthurwa while the Westlands, Fig Tree and Kariokor termini will be expanded.

The team also wants all PSV termini to be removed from major streets of Tom Mboya, Moi Avenue, Ronald Ngala, River Road, Race Course, Accra Road, Luthuli Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue and New Pumwani.

“We need traffic lights at all intersections in the county,” says part of the proposal.

In addition, all motorcycles would be banned from accessing the central business district. Handcarts would be subjected to a time limit of between 6am and 10am in the city.

The taskforce wants the county government to have its own tow trucks to tow stalled vehicles away.

The group, which met Governor Evans Kidero last week, proposed that all City Hall askari (officers) be trained to help police control traffic flow.

It suggested the creation of emergency lanes on the streets to enable faster response to emergencies.

It also wants underpasses to be constructed on major highways like Mombasa Road (Cabanas, Capital Centre and GM), Juja Road (Kiboro Primary) and Waiyaki Way (Kangemi).

A ban on 14-seater matatus from accessing the CBD has also been proposed by the team.

The Maintenance of Roads taskforce said the move is aimed at phasing out PSVs carrying less than 25 passengers.

High capacity vehicles

National Police Service Commission member Ronald Musengi, also the head of the team, said the county plans to allow only high capacity vehicles to operate as has been done by other countries that have developed efficient public commuter transport systems.

He said the proposed construction of 26 new railway stations in the Nairobi metropolitan area will also go a long way in bringing sanity back to the transport sector.

The decongestion process in Nairobi, which will also include the construction of a modern railway line from the city centre to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, will cost taxpayers at least Sh10 billion.

Kidero said the county would only issue licences to PSVs on cross-city transport while vehicles that weigh 10 tonnes would not be allowed into the CBD.

“We will develop an orderly plan for the public transport system, which will reduce the number of vehicles operating within the CBD. This will help to decongest the city,” he explained.