BCC violates own public transport policy

MOST of Bulawayo’s designated bus termini have become white elephants, indicating the failure of the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to implement its own public transport policy, which was established over a decade ago after extensive consultations.

The BCC’s public transport policy was adopted on October 3, 2012, and stipulated clear guidelines for the management and operation of the city’s transport system.

This included routes for vehicles over nine tonnes, luxury coaches entering and exiting the city, and public service vehicles such as commuter omnibuses, buses, and metered taxis.

Part 4.0 of the policy stated that each route should start and end at a terminus designated by the local authority, which could only be used by vehicles from appointed companies, and that each terminus must be well-maintained, with functional toilets and related ablution facilities as well as clear entrance and exit points manned by security guards.

“The picking and setting down of passengers at the termini shall be at points marked and clearly demarcated for this purpose, and the council shall have full authority to revert, relocate, or do away with any pick-up or drop-off point,” reads part of the policy.

Additionally, vehicles are required to be fitted with refuse receptacles, which the city’s health services department should inspect regularly.

“Each terminus shall have a functional toilet and related ablution facilities and all traders and company employees shall respect this facility and abide by the rules imposed by the local authority.

“The terminus shall have an exit and entrance point clearly marked and the exit and entrance points shall be used as such and the council shall provide booms at these points and these shall be manned by security guards of the appointed company,” reads the policy.

Council officially recognises three transport operators — Tshova Mubaiwa, Bulawayo United Public Transport Association (Bupta) and Bulawayo City Transit Trust (BCTT), which service the city’s western and eastern suburbs.

Despite the policy’s clear guidelines, council has failed to ensure the construction and proper maintenance of designated termini. The Cowdray Park and Emganwini suburbs, for example, have no regulated termini, forcing commuter omnibuses to pick-up and drop off passengers at non-designated areas.

In Magwegwe North, the terminus has been turned into a car park and flea market, with no functioning toilets, while the Lobengula terminus is underutilised, and the Emakhandeni suburb terminus has become a car wash.

BCC corporate communications manager, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, said routes in Entumbane suburb are serviced by several existing termini in shopping centres, such as Choppies near Entumbane Police Station, Zothile, Nhliziyo and Entumbane Complex, previously used by Zupco.

“In Cowdray Park suburb the termini were planned for in the various commercial centres throughout the suburb, but these have not yet been developed. Currently, only one of the terminus was built and functional and that is Cowdray Park Terminus near Mahlathini Primary School,” said Mrs Mpofu.

However, during a visit to these areas, a Chronicle news crew observed that many of the designated areas were not functional.

Luxury coaches are supposed to operate from designated termini and may be linked to hotels in the central business district via shuttle services.

However, luxury buses servicing the Bulawayo-Harare route are picking up passengers from non-designated areas near a hotel between 9th and 10th Avenues, and at the corner of 10th Avenue and Robert Mugabe Way.

Mrs Mpofu also stated that all passenger service vehicles operating within the city are expected to comply with regulations, including having litter bins in their vehicles as part of anti-littering campaigns by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and the City of Bulawayo.

“Constant engagements are being done to inform the operators of the requirements expected of them, and we would also appreciate the help of the media in sharing this message,” she said.