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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has identified seven bus termini which will be used by Zupco buses and kombis as designated picking and dropping points to decongest the central business district (CBD) in compliance with the city’s Covid-19 guidelines.

The council said the picking and dropping of passengers along the intracity routes shall be done at designated lay-byes.

Prior to the latest development, buses and commuter omnibuses operating under Zupco franchise had no designated pick up and drop off points resulting in them causing congestion and disrupting the free flow of vehicular and human traffic in the CBD.

Due to the lockdown restrictions, only Zupco buses and kombis are allowed to operate while privately-run commuter omnibuses remain banned as part of Government plan to bring sanity and do away with chaos in cities.

In a statement yesterday, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said Zupco buses and kombis are now required to utilise the designated bus termini and those who violate the new regulation will face prosecution in terms of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020, Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Amendment) Order, 2020 (No. 3) and Bulawayo municipal by laws.

According to the council statement, City Hall Terminus will service the eastern and northern areas of the city and the routes to be used are Robert Gabriel Mugabe Way (Airport road) Matopos, Burnside Road, Old Esigodini, Harare and Gwanda roads. Samuel Parirenyatwa/2nd Avenue Terminus will service eastern and northern areas using Robert Gabriel Mugabe Way and Harare road while 8th Avenue/Lobengula Street pick up point will service Waterford and Burnside using the Old Esigodini road route.

Herbert Chitepo Street/10th Avenue has been identified as a designated place where commuters from the southern and western areas and those using Plumtree and Khami roads will be picked and dropped.
Lobengula Street/3rd Avenue Terminus is set to service western and northern areas using the Victoria Falls and Luveve roads routes while Lobengula Street/12th Avenue Temporary Rank will service southern and western areas using the Khami and Plumtree roads routes.

Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue/Fife Street Pick-up point will service areas along the Harare road route.

Mr Dube said all the seven identified termini have requisite sanitary facilities and will go a long way in decongesting the CBD.

“In the spirit of easing congestion in the city, Zupco buses and kombis should operate at only designated termini in the central business district and no other point shall be used for picking and dropping passengers in the CBD. The picking and dropping of passengers along the routes shall be done at designated lay-byes and all routes shall start and end at bus termini,” he said.

“As announced by the Government, Zupco will be the sole provider of public passenger transport and it is therefore imperative that passengers observe social distancing at the various pick up points.”

He said failure to comply with the new regulations will result in offenders being prosecuted. — @mashnets