Bus lanes introduced in Maputo

Maputo Municipal Council on 2 February claimed that the first day’s experience of exclusive bus lanes in the city was a success. In this phase the bus lanes are being used on the routes from the outlying neighbourhood of Zimpeto to the downtown area of Maputo, near the port, and to the terminal at the Natural History Museum. The bus lanes are only in effect during the morning rush hour – from 05.30hrs to 08.30hrs. Later the scheme will be extended to cover 15.30hrs to 19.00hrs.

With one entire lane dedicated solely to buses and minibuses for several hours every day, private car owners are inevitably the losers and find that their journeys to and from the centre of the city are taking much longer.

The City Council has acquired 50 new buses for the two routes from Zimpeto at a cost of US$8 million. By the end of June, the number of new buses in the city, using the dedicated bus lanes, should rise to 120. Up until now, there have not been enough buses and minibuses to cater for the demand for transport – and so, although it is technically illegal, pick-up trucks are being used to transport passengers. – AIM.