HARARE commuters should brace for a hike in transport fares following threats by operators who are not happy with council’s announcement that they will soon be operating from the Coventry holding bays. Staff Reporter
Operators have threatened to increase fares if they are thrown out of the central business district arguing their businesses would be under threat if they were to be kicked out of the CBD.
“We are not happy with this move because our businesses will suffer greatly. This will force us to increase fares to make up for the loss,” said one operator who plies the Ashdown Park-Mabelreign route.
“Council should come up with a better solution that benefits everyone. We are not against decongesting the city centre, but it has to be done in a manner that will not push us out of business.” Another operator Arnold Murape whose fleet services Warren Park said they had not been consulted in the initial phases of the project.
“We just read about council’s move to construct the holding bays, but they never consulted us as stakeholders. They are the custodians of the city, but we are partners and should be considered,” he said.
Murape said the move would increase illegal pick up points as most operators would avoid the holding bays.
The commissioning of the bays has been postponed several times. The bays were supposed to become operational in July last year. Council spokesperson Leslie Gwindi said the bays, which will service the western suburbs, will be operational by August 1. Currently, work has resumed at the bays which will also be furnished with sheds and toilets.
“The move is aimed at decongesting the CBD,” he said. Commuter omnibuses are expected to continue dropping off and picking up passengers at Chinhoyi Street bus terminus and then park at the holding bays.
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Traffic congestion has become a nightmare in the CBD with commuter omnibuses dropping off and picking up passengers from every street corner.
Chinhoyi Street and Jason Moyo Avenue are the busiest and most congested. Running battles with police and council officials has worsened the chaos which has resulted in the death of innocent people.
President of the Urban Commuter Omnibus Operators’ Association Simbarashe Ngarande said he was not aware of the new development. “I do not know if the other associations have agreed to this, but it is not feasible,” he said.
The operators’ woes were mounting as they are also facing a possible ban. This comes in the wake of an announcement by the Transport minister Obert Mpofu that the commuter omnibuses would be phased out. The minister said this had been prompted by the many accidents involving the vehicles and the congestion they caused in the city centre.
