Moja Expressway, the company tasked with running the Nairobi Expressway for the next 27 years, introduced a raft of measures aimed at curbing the recent spate of accidents that occurred at the toll stations.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Moja Expressway Head of Public Relations, Jeanne May, noted that reinforced steel barriers were installed at all toll stations to prevent damage should an accident happen.
The operator also raised the rumbles a few metres to the station in a bid to prevent vehicles from approaching the toll stations at high speed.
More police officers were also deployed to the toll stations to aid in maintaining order and ensure compliance. The officers will use speed guns to enforce the speed limit (80km/hr) and fine motorists caught flouting traffic rules.
"Once you're caught speeding, it's up to the traffic police to decide on what's best. We are not tasked with law enforcement hence we will hand you over to the traffic police who take up the matter," she stated.
Further, photos doing round across social media of a vehicle crashing on one of the enforced steels at a toll station had sparked mixed reactions as to the viability of the measures.
Alluding to this, Jeanne affirmed that the photos were taken on Saturday, June 25, when the first accident occurred at the Mlolongo toll station.
One person lost his life during the crash, while several people- including a toll attendant- sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital.
CCTV footage of the Saturday, June 25, accident revealed the motorist approaching the toll station at high speed and ramming into other awaiting vehicles on site.
Another accident occurred on Monday, July 4, after a bus belonging to Embassava Sacco was captured ramming into a white SUV that was exiting the Mlolongo toll station. The bus crashed into the toll station before overturning while the white SUV hit a culvert beside the toll station and eventually rolled.
The accidents led to the Transport CS, James Macharia, banning matatus and all PSVs from accessing the Expressway.
Recently, Moja Expressway affirmed that the matatu ban was indefinite and depended on how quickly the matatu Saccos would comply with the directive.
The operator noted that matatus spotted along the 27km-elevated road, despite the ban, had received a clearance certificate from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
