Cross-border buses causing congestion in Bulawayo’s central business district will soon be moved to a more spacious National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) zone.
Intercity buses picking up passengers and dropping them off at undesignated points were directed to return to various stations in the city or risk being shut down while pushcart operators and those who wash cars in parking lots were ordered to evacuate the central business district.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) yesterday said operating push carts and car washes in the CBD is illegal, and participants have been given until Friday to stop the illegal activities.
Vendors who invaded the sidewalks and roads within the CBD were also given until Friday to move to designated vending spaces.
This step comes at a time when the local authority is struggling with chaos, dirt and decay in the city centre.
There is widespread pick-up and drop-off of passengers at non-designated points by long-distance bus crews, particularly along the Bulawayo-Harare route, the Leopold Takawira stretch opposite Centenary Park and along the Bulawayo-Plumtree route at John Love Motors.
At night operators pick and drop passengers near fast food outlets in the CBD causing congestion.
Ms Bongiwe Ngwenya, Corporate Communications Officer at BCC, said the cross-border buses, which had turned some sections of the city center into rows, had been allocated space at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) station.
She said plans are underway to renovate the area and it will contain reservations offices and a large hall to be used as a waiting room.
“There are also adequate ablution facilities and enough space for public parking. Intercity buses should return to Rinkini and other stations around the city from which they used to operate,” Ms Ngwenya said.
She said buses and kombis plying the Bulawayo-Gwanda and Bulawayo-Gweru-Harare routes should operate from Rinkini long-distance bus station.
“Those using Bulawayo-Victoria Falls should operate from the Entumbane long-distance bus station while those using Bulawayo-Plumtree-Solosi should operate from the Nkolomani long-distance bus station,” Ms Ngwenya said.
She said those walking on Cement Siding-Ntabazinduna Road would use 1st Avenue and Samuel Parirenyatwa Street.
Ms Ngwenya said the council was also conducting an awareness campaign on the need to restore mental health in the city centre.
She said that those wishing to wash cars must involve those who have service stations so that a space will be allocated for them.
“We also have designated locations in shopping malls and those interested can contact the city council,” Ms Ngwenya said.
She said push carts are not allowed in any part of the CBD and hence they must vacate the CBD by Friday.
Driving on Bulawayo’s roads in the CBD is now a nightmare, with rowdy push rickshaw operators, pirate taxi drivers, combi crews and buses blatantly flouting traffic rules and regulations. Chronicle
