Commuters were Wednesday forced to seek alternative routes, and pay more fares as the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) rolled out the fourth test run of the Green Park terminus.
Most people said they were caught unawares by the changes that saw many trek long distances to access their destinations.
As early as 6:00 a.m Wednesday, traffic officers were stationed at the Bunyala Roundabout on Mombasa Road, diverting all matatus to the Bunyala road towards Upperhill.
But NMS Transport Director Eng. Michael Ochieng said plans are underway to construct a tunnel to ease pedestrian movement from the terminal to other parts of the city.
"The tunnel will go along in enhancing the operationalization of our services and making sure that people are safe,” he said.
On Wednesday, only personal vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles were allowed to access Uhuru Highway from the Bunyala Roundabout.
However, some matatus from South B, Imara Daima and sections of Mombasa Road caught up in the mix used Lusaka Road at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout to Jogoo Road Roundabout then Landhies Road to access Central Business District.
In a public notice on Tuesday, NMS said the Green Park terminus would be used as a drop-off and pick-up point for matatus between June 22 (to June 26.
NMS Director General Major General Mohamed Badi said this year’s test run will have two phases, with the first one involving PSVs terminating at the Railways station and the second featuring matatus plying the Ngong and Lang’ata routes.
The terminus will be open to vehicles from Rongai, Kiserian, Ngong, Karen, Langata, Nairobi West/Madaraka, Kibra, Kawangware, Dagoretti/Satellite, Highrise/Ngumo, and Kikuyu.
Badi said Railways bus terminus will not be in use from Wednesday, June 22 and vehicles using the terminus from Mombasa road will join Lusaka road at Nyayo stadium roundabout to Jogoo road roundabout, Landhis road to Hakati terminus.
On Thursday, June 23, 2022, all PSVs using Ngong road, Langata and Argwings Kodhek will pick up and drop off passengers at Green Park.
They however will be allowed to pick up passengers from any other place other than Railways.
Matatus from East lands that operate to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), with valid licenses and a 42 -plus capacity will operate to KNH via Haile Selassie Avenue.
Kenyatta Avenue and City Hallway will not be open to PSVs.
Badi said NMS enforcement officers will be part of the trial to ensure a seamless flow of traffic at the terminal.
“For a start, all vehicles terminating at the Railways Station will operate on the trial run basis from 5 am. We expect that there will be seamless flow both to the customers and the operators,” he said.
The previous tests that ran on April 27, May 28 and June 17, 2021, respectively, saw commuters and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) cite confusion and frustrations with NMS attributing the ordeal to operational challenges.
