Govt plans to construct dedicated bus lanes in cities-Hara

MALAWI: In order to reduce traffic congestion on the country's roads, the Ministry of Transport intends to build special lanes designed specifically for buses.

According to the ministry, this would encourage commuters to use buses, particularly within cities.

In an interview, Minister of Transport Jacob Hara stated that the Ministry is considering having city buses with dedicated bus lanes in order to encourage bus use, but that they must be faster in order to attract commuters.

“We are considering constructing bus lanes in the city. This will encourage commuters to travel around the city using buses,” said Hara.

“However, the productivity of the bus lanes would depend on sanity which has to prevail in the bus business and the busses should be faster seeing that they have a dedicated lane.”

Hara stated that the government is developing road designs for the country's cities.

‘Within our plans and designs around the country’s cities, we are putting in place special lanes for what we call ‘non-motorised’ traffic which included bicycles, motorcycles and ox-carts, (am sure you have seen people driving ox-carts in town). We are designing roads to cater for such traffic,’ disclosed Hara.

The Minister cited the six-lane road currently under construction in Lilongwe as an example, saying that it is designed to accommodate such traffic.

“From the 6-lane road currently being constructed in Lilongwe, designs for new roads in and around town will include special lanes for bicycles, ox-carts and motorcycles, to ease congestion on the main roads within the cities,” he added.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of bicycle and motorcycle taxis operating within and around the country's cities and towns, which some have attributed to an increase in road accidents in cities.