Govt Unveils BRT Buses Schedule for Nairobi Estates

  • By John Mbati on 20 January 2021 - 11:41 am
    An image of a BRT bus
    A Scania BRT bus built for 91 passengers (37 seated and 54 standing) and one wheelchair bay to accommodate persons with disabilities.
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  • The Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) has announced a schedule for the Bus Rapid Transport system. The schedule contains the time and routes BRT buses will ferry commuters to and from the Central Business District (CBD) to Nairobi estates. 

    Nearly 12 BRT buses were unveiled to ply five routes within Nairobi County. These are Ndovu Line, Simba Line, Chui Line, Kifaru Line and Nyati Line.

    Ndovu Line starts at Kangemi to Imara Daima and was assigned four BRT buses. Two buses will ferry passengers from Kangemi to Imara Daima and two will serve commuters from Imara Daima to Kangemi. 

    BRT buses pictured in Nairobi.
    BRT buses pictured in Nairobi.
    File

    The first bus from Kangemi leaves at 6 am, stops at Westlands at 6:15 am, CBD at 6:30 am, Nairobi West at 6:45 am, NextGen Mall at 7 am, and Imara Daima at 7:15 am. 

    The second bus leaves Kangemi at 7 am, makes a stopover at Westlands at 7:15 am, CBD at 7:30 am, Nairobi West at 7:45 am, NextGen Mall at 8 am, and Imara Daima at 8:15 am. 

    The schedule for BRT buses from Imara Daima to Kangemi is as follows. The first bus departs at 6 am, stops at NextGen Mall at 6:15 am, Nairobi West at 6:30 am, CBD at 6:45 am, Westlands at 7 am, and Kangemi at 7:15 am. 

    The second bus commences its journey from Imara Daima at 7 am, stops at NextGen Mall at 7:15 am, Nairobi West at 7:30 am, CBD at 7:45 am, Westlands at 8 am, and Kangemi at 8:15 am. 

    Simba line runs from Bomas of Kenya through Blue Sky/TMall (Umoja) to Nairobi CBD then passes through Thika Road to Ruiru. 

    Chui Line starts at Njiru (Kasarani) to Showground (Kibera) and passes through Nairobi CBD. 

    Kifaru Line serves commuters from Mamam Lucy, passes through Donholm, CBD, TMall, Bomas, Karen, to Kikuyu. 

    Nyati Line links Ridgeways (Kiambu Road), Balozi (Allsops) to Imara Daima estate. 

    NAMATA gazetted the schedules after the plan was approved by the government. The BRT buses will complement the commuter rails by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS). NMS is also seeking to ban matatu’s from CBD to decongest the city. 

    The authority has been charged with integrating sustainable public transport system within the Nairobi Metropolitan Area of Kajiado, Kiambu, Machakos, Murang’a and Nairobi City counties.

    At the same time, NMS is currently constructing five matatu termini outside CBD. These are Green Park at Railways, Desai Park, Park Road, Fig Tree at Ngara, Muthurwa and the terminus at Bunyala and Workshop roads. It also wants to add a terminus at Globe Cinema Roundabout. 

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    Matatus caught up ina traffic snarl-up at Tom Mboya street near Khoja/Old Mutual terminus
    File