Bulawayo councillors have urged the local authority’s management to speed up talks with the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to transform part of the railway station in the city into a public transport rank.
Recent reports said the NRZ is in talks with the municipality to turn the underutilised train station into a public transport rank, with plans to utilise part of the railway station's parking area as a designated space for buses to pick up and drop off passengers.
This was part of wider plans to alleviate traffic congestion and disorganised passenger loading in the central business district.
Ward 5 councillor said there was need to speed up the talks and bring sanity in the city centre after some streets were turned into loading bays for inter-city and cross-border buses.
“Currently, we are facing a crisis in terms of traffic congestion along Sixth Avenue,” Nkomo said.
“Conversion of the NRZ terminus to intercity buses terminus will relieve pressure at the Egodini terminus as they will be having another alternative loading place, therefore promoting order within central business district.”
Ward 6 councillor Nkosilathi Mpofu said diverting transport operators to the NRZ main station will also help reduce illegal vending in the city centre.
“The traffic congestion at Sixth Avenue has made movements of vehicle very slow and promoted illegal vending destroying the image of the city," he said
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NRZ spokesperson Andrew Kunambura said the parastatal was in talks with the council management over the matter.
“We have been engaging the local authority and we are waiting for their decision at the moment,” said Kunambura.
Reports last year said plans to transform part of the railway station into a public transport interchange for pre-booking luxury coaches and informal trader space were uncertain after some councillors voted to rescind the resolution.
In April 2023, the council approved the establishment of a public transport interchange terminal on NRZ land aimed at alleviating congestion in the central business district and enhancing trade.
The project sought to decongest the central business district and boost trade.
NRZ had crafted a redevelopment strategy of turning the Railway Station into an up-market transport hub and shopping mall.
