×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Harare moves in to decongest CBD

News
HARARE City Council is courting investors to construct modern bus terminuses with parking bays, office space and recreational facilities

HARARE City Council is courting investors to construct modern bus terminuses with parking bays, office space and recreational facilities in an effort to effectively deal with congestion in the central business district (CBD).

BY STAFF REPORTER

This comes amid disclosures that the capital city only has 7 000 parking bays in the CBD resulting in street parking which congests the free-flow of traffic. City spokesperson Leslie Gwindi in a statement, said council was keen to decongest the CBD and plans were underway to create parking bays for public transport from different suburbs.

“The decision to also construct kombi holding bays is a realisation that the existing parking space for public transport is not adequate,” Gwindi said.

Harare currently has one holding bay under construction situated along Coventry Road and will have additional infrastructure to cater for kombis using the southern routes that include Chitungwiza and the eastern areas.

“This is the reason why the city is courting a number of investors to partner it in the construction of modern bus terminuses that would be resourced with parking bays, office space and recreational facilities. Such structures are planned for Fourth Street, Copacabana, Market Square and Charge Office terminuses,” Gwindi said.

“Plans are in place to demarcate new parking bays on streets bordering the CBD, for example, streets between Fourth Street and Enterprise Road and in the Avenues area.”

Gwindi said motorists were now using streets for day parking instead of the designated Fourth Street and Park Lane parking lots and the parkades, thereby disrupting others who will be making quick transactions.

“On-street parking bays are meant to allow motorists to transact quick business before moving their vehicles to day-parking lots or the parkades, but what is happening is the motorists are using the on-street parking bays for eight hours at most and in the process inconveniencing those who want to park for an hour or less,” he said.

He said there was a new policy to ensure new buildings have enough parking space within the confines of the stand in the form of basement parking parkades. “In keeping with world trends, the city is also looking into the removal of on-street parking on one way streets as a way of reducing congestion and maintaining the smooth flow of traffic,” Gwindi added.