Nairobi News

There was confusion on Tuesday morning as Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) conducted a test run on the nearly complete Green Park Terminal at the Nairobi’s Railway Club.

The three-hour test run at the commuter terminus was to see how things will work as its commissioning draws near.

All PSVs that normally operated from Nairobi Railway Station stage passengers were allowed to drop passengers between 6:00am and 9:00am but were not allowed to pick passengers.

Those who spoke to Nairobi News said they were caught unaware by the test run.

There were no connecting buses as passengers had to walk from the terminus to their various destinations, with a traffic snarl-up stretching from Haile Selassie roundabout to Community area.

“I have a child and I have to go to Parklands, how would I get there?” a frustrated passenger wondered.

Another commuter said that it was good a gesture but they should have provided connecting buses, especially for pregnant women, the old or persons with disability.

“Has NMS considered such cases before telling people to walk?” he posed.

Some Nairobians, however, welcomed the move by NMS saying it would help decongest the city.

NMS Transport Director Engineer Michael Ochieng, while addressing the media during the test run, said people will get used to the change and that distance commuters walk has not changed much.

“There will be an interface session where the park will be operating temporarily before the closure of the other one. The test run started today and it will continue into the better part of the week and into next week before transitioning into full operation,” he added.

He said that NMS wants to ensure that it is safe, works well and addresses the concerns of commuters and matatu operators to give them better service.

“We want people in the middle class, who are the majority, to start using public service vehicles and that is why we have designed it.

The terminus, which has been under construction since last year, has had its launch pushed forward several times.

He added that, NMS did the test run so that they can have a clear picture of what would happen when the Nairobi matatu CBD ban if effected.

“We are looking to check the safety features even for the disabled and the physically challenged and others who may not be able to make it to town. We have also organised with the Kenya Railways that will provide commuter buses to town,” he said.

The Green Park Bus Terminus, a project of the NMS, is aimed at decongesting the city center.

Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) plying Ngong Road, Lang’ata Road (Kawangware, Kikuyu, Kibera, Lang’ata, Rongai, Kiserian) will terminate at the Green Park bus terminus, formerly known as Railways Club.

In November last year, NMS said the terminus is among the newly designated termini that they have constructed.

“NMS as part of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development master plan and Decongestion Strategy under which PSVs will terminate outside the CBD.”

The bus park will serve as both a drop-off and pick-up point.