An examination of the operation and management of public bus terminal facilities in the CBD of Nairobi

Abstract

The city has been depicted by many urban analysts as a kind of dynamic interface machine of movement (transport), channels of communication (including information) links, serving activities accommodated by the settlement. Such links provide for the needs of industrialization and commerce, encourage further economic and urban growth, and generally increase the pace of modernization. The rapid growth phenomena associated with Third World urbanization, that is population increase, rising vehicle ownership and traffic volumes, increasing land use densities and expanding urban areas have together had the effect of speeding-up urban land use and transport interaction. Such rapid growth have also made the management of Third World city complex, difficult and expensive as the demand for additional space for new activities introduces severe competition for the limited land resources. Traffic problems are often aggravated by newly constructed transport infrastructure intended to improve accessibility which in most cases leads to the displacement of traditional means of transport, economic and commercial activities. Cities therefore form the most complex forms of human settlements or human activity sites. The street patterns and sites of activities are the most intricate human designs to appear on the face of earth as mind maps of inhabitants. The measure of the functional capability of cities is mainly determined by the effectiveness of their components and integration there-of in the whole framework. The public passenger transport is a fundamental urban function which can be fulfilled better the more system oriented and systematic planning and operation is adopted. The vanous sub-components of the public passenger transport must also be efficiently designed and equipped to deliver the necessary services without undue strain. The study therefore aimed at examining the operation and management of the public bus terminal facilities within the CBD of Nairobi. The study found out that the City of Nairobi, a burgeoning African City is grossly under-served with public bus terminal facilities and the supportive amenities. The existing terminals are mainly off-street car parking bays converted to serve as public bus terminals. Others are alleys between buildings or purely along traffic lanes. It was also found out that those terminals lack most of the supportive amenities, shelter, sanitary facilities, and information display, among others. The terminals are poorly maintained, poorly lit and insecure especially at night. The operations and management of the terminals especially the matatu terminals are under the control of 'cartels' sometimes who operate in cahoots with individuals in authority. The ad hoc operations and management of terminal points coupled with weak managerial capacity of the Nairobi City Council is one of the critical problem that causes appalling operations of public bus terminals. Public transport policy guidelines are virtually non-existent and the operations of the sector depend on the feelings of the Traffic Commandant at any particular point in time. The routing of vehicles, provision of infrastructure, operat!~ms and management of the ~ same is always done in haphazard manner. To develop, manage and maintain the public bus terminal facilities is the responsibility of the Nairobi City Council. However, the City Council has demonstrated its inability to effectively manage public affairs. It is notable that it is not only the public transport that is in disarray in Nairobi, rather the entire city is ailing. The study makes proposals on possible intervention measures.