The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has announced that it is expanding the Green Park matatu terminus at Railways Club to allow boda bodas and taxis operate within the CBD.
NMS is expanding the terminus to create space for the riders and taxi drivers from the original plan that was meant to accommodate around 140 matatus only.
The agency under General Mohamed Badi said that motorbikes and taxi cabs will be used to ferry commuters between the terminus and the CBD.
NMS disclosed that they opted for the plan as many passengers did not want to walk across the city to and from the terminus.
NMS added that the move to use boda bodas and taxi cabs is intended to accommodate all transport stakeholders.
"Decongestion is more of being open-minded and we do not want the process to be branded as a matatu issue. We want to bring in taxis and boda boda operators within CBD," NMS Director of Transport, Michael Ochieng said.
The previous Nairobi County regime under former Governor Mike Sonko attempted to regulate the boda boda riders in the city. Sonko banned the operators from CBD, arguing that they interfered with the smooth flow of traffic and that they were unruly.
In addition to taxis and boda bodas, NMS, on December 8, said that it will avail buses that will ferry commuters within CBD. Residents can also use dedicated cycleways to access the city centre.
Green Park terminus at Railways club will host matatus plying Ngong Road and Lang'ata Road serving Kawangware, Kikuyu, Kibera, Lang'ata, Rongai, Kiserian residential areas.
Fig Tree Terminus at Ngara is expected to serve matatus from Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, Kipande and Limuru roads.
A terminus at the junction of Bunyala and Workshop Road will host PSVs from Mombasa Road serving South B, South C, Industrial Area, Imara Daima, Athi River, Kitengela and Machakos. The Muthurwa Terminus is expected to remain as it is and will host PSVs from Jogoo and Lusaka roads.
The agency pushed the relocation date of matatus from the Central Business District (CBD) to the end of January 2021.
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