Sonko to carry on plans to kick matatus out of CBD
Nairobi County Government plans to enact a propose ban matatus from the CBD months after Governor Mike Sonko set the proposed move in motion.
However, City Hall hasn’t announced when the move, whose aim is to ease the traffic nightmare within the CBD, will begin after it was shelved last year following protests from Public Service Vehicles (PSV) operators.
According to the county, vehicles come into the city centre at peak morning hours and stay there waiting for passengers which creates traffic snarl up because they take up a lot of space and inconvenience private motorists.
Last year, Governor Sonko announced that over 30,000 public service vehicles would no longer be allowed to access the CBD.
Matatu operators however argued that the move would inconvenience millions of commuters who would have to walk long distances to the proposed terminus.
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If City Hall actualizes the plan, all matatus accessing the CBD from Waiyaki Way or Uhuru Highway, Kipande Road and Limuru Road will terminate at Muranga Road (Fig Tree) terminus A.
Those coming from Thika Road and including Kiambu Road including Ruiru will be dropped off at Muranga Road (Fig Tree) terminus B.
Vehicles using Juja Road, Ring Road and Park Road will drop off passengers at the Ngara Road terminus.
This revelation is part of a report by the County transport and infrastructure committee that went to inspect the work at the termini located outside the city centre after contractors renovating five matatu termini declined to hand them over until they are paid their dues.
“The transport committee recommends that the county government should expedite payments to contractors and take over the various bus termini in order to proceed with the programme of urban decongestion,” the report reads in part.