Funded by European Union with a budget of EUR 8 million, the project “Institutional Support to the Kenyan Transport Sector” destined to the Kenyan Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development & Public Works is being implemented from 2017 to 2023.
The overall objective of the project of which this contract is to contribute to an accelerated and inclusive economic growth, thus reducing poverty, via a more efficient and at the same time sustainable transport sector. The contract’s specific purpose is to provide support to the Kenyan authorities in order to improve the governance and technical skills in the transport sector, so as to develop a more efficient and safer transport system to increase productivity and to reduce the negative impacts on the environment and climate.
Signing of the MoU on the operation of the BRT Pilot along Thika Road on 4 Sept 2019 at the Works House, Nairobi.
How we are doing it
Under its result area 3 “urban mobility”, the project is supporting the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) with the coordination and operation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT line 3) system. NaMATA is concerned with coordinating the multiple ongoing transport initiatives in Nairobi, ensuring harmonization of the BRT Lines, overseeing the BRT implementation, and helping to establish a clear roadmap for improving sustainable transport facilities in Nairobi. Under this aspect of the project, NTU’s support is focusing on the transition of the transport industry, the preparation of a Communications Strategy, a Service Plan, a Business and Financial Plan. Support to the BRT implementation process implies i) project preparation, ii) operational design, iii) physical design, iv) integration, v) business plan, and vi) evaluation and implementation.
Impact
The impact of the operationalisation of a Bus Rapid Transit system is significant. First, such a system allows for commuters to save travel time, thus improving their quality of life. Then, the modernisation of the bus system allows for an improvement of air quality, thus curbing GHG emissions and reducing air pollution in Nairobi. Lastly, BRT enables for a better prevention of road fatalities and crashes.
Study visit to South Africa organised in July 2019 with the objective to learn from the experiences in Johannesburg and Cape Town with respect to the introduction of BRT.