Kenya has announced that diesel and petrol buses will not be used on the multi-billion Nairobi BRT system. This comes less than five months to the launch of the lucrative bus rapid transport (BRT) on Thika and Mombasa roads from June this year.
According to Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Charles Hinga, only electric and some hybrid vehicles, which use a mixture of electric and fossil fuel and those that use biofuels like hydrogen and biogas, will be deployed on the dedicated lane for large-capacity buses to ease traffic congestion.
“We want to lead from the front when it comes to (fight against) climate change. We have an opportunity to move from rhetoric to actualizing this aspiration,” Hinga told a local daily.
The BRT system will be fully operated by the private sector. “The stations have taken care of everyone. There is a ramp to get to the top of the footbridge and a special lift to take wheelchairs down or up the station. In other words, there is universal access,” said Hinga.
He added that BRT corridors are expected to hold up to 100 high-capacity buses which will increase to 300 in subsequent orders. “The initial fleet is 100 but going up to 300 in subsequent orders. We are targeting June or July. Local content is minimum 40 percent,” Hinga said.
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Pick-up and drop-off points are linked to footbridges and that will serve as BRT stations along islands between the carriageways. The stations have been designed in such a way that entry and exit from the stations are through the footbridge, which means passengers will not have to worry about crossing lanes. The plan also leaves little room for commuters to slip or sneak through motorways.
The Nairobi BRT system has given priority to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Likoni, James Gichuru-Rironi and Bomas to Ruiru roads. Other motorways are Ngong Road, Juja, Mama Lucy, T-Mall and Balozi to Imara corridors.
