Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) trial launch of the Green park terminus was marred with confusion as commuters were left stranded early Wednesday, June 22.
A section of Kenyans blamed NMS for poor planning as commuters were forced to walk to access the Central Business District (CBD).
Others stated that there should have been alternative means of transport for Kenyans who are sick and People Living With Disabilities (PLWD).
Green Park Bus Terminal officially opens to the public
Courtesy NMS “This terminus should have been moved to Muthurwa if they had demolished some of the houses that are condemned. We all know that Kenyans are facing tough times and now they are being forced to board Boda Boda to get to another stage.
I work in industrial area and I have arthritis. Now I have to walk to town before getting to work and that means I will be let. The county should have come up with other alternatives,” a commuter stated.
Others also expressed their displeasure at the execution of the trial even as they revealed that some matatus dropped passengers at different terminals to avoid the congestion at the Green Park.
“The matatu dropped us at NHIF in a bid to avoid the pile up at the bus terminus. I had to walk nearly a kilometer to get to the National archives stage,” Paul Kurgat told Kenyans.co.ke.
The test run also saw traffic snarl-ups along busy Uhuru Highway as motorists opted to avoid the confusion at the Railway section.
Despite the confusion, Boda Boda riders on the other hand took advantage of cash in as they offered their services to those who were stranded.
NMS Transport Director, Engineer Micheal Ochieng, stated that they had developed various plans to address congestion at the terminus adding that no vehicle was to take more than 20 minutes at the park.
He added that they had dedicated some lanes for entry and exit to avoid the movement of matatu’s at Green Park from affecting traffic flow on other roads.
“Vehicles are coming in well. Our officers are training the matatus on how to pick and drop at the appropriate points. In the morning it is different because there are more people being dropped off while in the evening there may be congestion at the point of picking people up.
“That is why we have put a time limit of 20 minutes so that when you get in you are allocated just that time to drop and pick passengers irrespective of whether the vehicle is full or not,” he stated.
Commuters waiting for vehicles at Green Park terminus on June 22, 2022.
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