Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
THE National Railways of Zimbabwe has bemoaned the low uptake of commuter trains in Bulawayo where only about 400 people are transported daily between the city centre and Cowdray Park.
The Cowdray Park commuter train was re-introduced last November as a joint venture between NRZ and the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco).
The intervention was meant to help ease pressure on the road transport system as people were spending long hours waiting for public transport.
Zupco provides feeder service to and from the train at no extra cost to commuters. The train departs at “Pasi Pasi” in Cowdry Park at 5:45AM arriving at the Bulawayo Main Station at 7AM.
Acting National Railways of Zimbabwe public relations manager, Mr Martin Banda, said the few numbers on the train were not good for business.
“The Cowdray Park route was allocated 10-15 coaches since its re-launch at the end of 2021 but unfortunately the uptake of the seats is not as good as in Harare,” he said.
“In Harare each route of the three has got a minimum of 13 to 15 couches at any particular time compared to Bulawayo, which has a maximum of five coaches despite having been allocated 10 coaches. What it technically means is that we are transporting about 450 people per day in Bulawayo compared to 1 300 people in Harare per day and per route.
This is sad news for Bulawayo because when you allocate resources you anticipate that those resources are going to be used. It is not good news for us and Zupco who are in this joint venture because the returns, which we are supposed to be getting in this particular route are not very good for very good business acumen.”
Mr Banda, however, said numbers were beginning to pick up in the last few days due to the challenges commuters are experiencing with road transport. He said there were no immediate plans to re-introduce the Emganwini commuter train service. @themkhust.
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi