Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) on Friday, November 13, issued a new directive against drivers flouting traffic regulations.
In a notice, NMS Director-General Mohamed Badi said that parking, driving, or riding on pedestrian walkways or cycle-lanes by motor vehicles or motorcycles was prohibited.
"Any driver or rider found in contravention will be prosecuted and their driving license suspended and where damage is occasioned to the infrastructure, the violator will pay for its restoration to the previous condition," the statement read in part.
Badi further stated that unauthorized officers continue to illegally allocate picking/dropping bays for public service vehicles in total disregard to NMS suspension of the activities to allow the review of their decongestion strategy.
In the new regulations, no person or officer is authorised to allocate, and or assign picking bays including parking slots without written authorisation from the Director of roads, transport and public works upon approval by the Office of the Director-General.
"Any request for allocation or assignment of picking/ dropping bay and parking slot will undergo scrutiny from the committee appointed by NMS to undertake this function. Any purported approval granted without following this procedure is null and void," the NMS Director-General added.
He further observed that florists had turned walkways and cycle lanes as grounds for displaying flowers and seedlings.
"Selling and displaying seedlings and flower on pedestrian and cyclists' pathways is prohibited and anyone having such plants on non-motorised traffic (NMT) corridors should remove them forthwith.
"Where one is licensed to have such display, plants should be two metres away from the walkways," he directed.
The authority had embarked on several road projects around the city to develop an efficient non-motorised transport system in Nairobi's busy Central Business District.
The projects which include the re-carpeting of roads and improving drainage and streetlights are geared towards reducing traffic snarl-ups.
Badi further revealed that the NMS would construct termini and parking areas for public service vehicles on Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, Thika Road and Lang’ata Road to ease traffic flow into the Nairobi CBD.
