The absence of infrastructure for the operationalisation of the Bus Rapid Transit System is affecting the full deployment of buses meant for the project in Kumasi.
The introduction of the BRT system in the Ashanti Regional capital became necessary because of the huge number of passengers, and demand for the buses to enhance intra-city transportation.
Already, the BRT is struggling in Accra due to financial and technical challenges.
It was renamed as the Quality Bus System because it did not meet international standards of having specially designed lanes.
The BRT, a bus-based mass transit system, is meant to significantly improve urban mobility.
In Africa, Nigeria was the first country to introduce BRT in Lagos.
Kenyasi is one of the areas in Kumasi that stands to gain a lot from a BRT system because of the usual hustle of commuters to find commercial transport to the Central Business District.
During rush hour, commuters in this area and other suburbs of the Kumasi Metropolis, wait for several hours in long queues before boarding vehicles to their destinations.
This informed the decision to introduce the buses for mass transit services.
The buses will, however, require some infrastructure before they can operate effectively like smart buses that use the travel cards for trips.
The buses also require queue jumpers at junctions to give the buses priority in heavy traffic situations.
But even without this specialized system, a few of the buses are plying some routes within the Kumasi metropolis through most of the buses were parked and idling at the yard of the STC.
This confirms the fact that the infrastructure needed for the operation of the buses is not available.
For now, city authorities rent out the buses to schools and other organizations.
The KMA’s head of transport department, Randolph Wilson, told Citi News the right infrastructure is needed for the buses to be able to serve the purpose for which they were procured.
He however assured that some measures are being taken to address the problem.
By: citinewsroom
