Africa-Press – Kenya. The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) will ban matatus from accessing six bus stations while conducting its third Green Park terminus test run on Wednesday morning, June 16.
The rehearsal was scheduled for 6 am to 8 am according to the notice released by NMS dated Wednesday, June 9.
All public service vehicles using Langata road, Ngong Road, Argwings Kodhek road to Kikuyu, Ngong, Kawangware, Dagoreti, Kibera, Highrise, Ngumo, Rongai, Kiserian, Otiende, Langata, Otiende, Madaraka and Nairobi West will be directed to drop and pick passengers at the Green Park terminus.
Matatus operating at these six stations; Moi Avenue Service Lane (Outside Development, AGRHO and Gill houses), Nairobi Railway Station Bus Terminus, Hakati Stage, Ambassador, Mfangano Street and Kencom will also use the Green Park Terminus during the test run.
Machakos and Kitengela bound PSVs operating from the Nairobi Railway Station Bus Terminus will use Lusaka Road from Nyayo Stadium roundabout to Hakati Bus terminus where Langata and Nairobi West/Madaraka vehicles operate from.
“After completion of the test run, PSV pick up and drop off will continue from the normal places until further notice.
“The matatu ban process is now in the transition phase of commissioning the terminus where all stakeholders are assessing their level of preparedness for commissioning this facility (Green Park), a program of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan (NIUPLAN),” NMS Director-General Mohamed Badi stated.
The agency’s second test run was conducted on Friday evening, May 28, from 4 pm to 8 pm. NMS evening experiment was done in comparison to the first test run conducted Tuesday morning, April 27 between 6 am and 9 am.
A traffic snarl-up was witnessed during the morning test run as commuters rushed to travel to work as opposed to the evening test run which was more accomodating for the passengers who were heading home.
NMS Transport Director Engineer Michael Ochieng stated that he will figure a way to avoid confusion during the morning test runs, adding that he was analysing how best to drop off passengers, restructure common exits and re-analyse last-mile connectivity.
The agency is set to construct termini at Fig Tree in Ngara, Bunyala and Workshop Road, Muthurwa and Globe Cinema Roundabout.
