Nairobi Metropolitan Services will on Wednesday carry out another test run at Green Park terminus ahead of its opening.
The test run will run until June 26, when further communication will be given.
The pick-up and drop-off assessment follow a similar one which was meant for last month targeting Public Service Vehicles plying the Ngong Road route but was postponed.
NMS transport director Michael Ochieng said the test run will happen in phases.
Wednesday's test run will only be for matatus plying Rongai, Kiserian, Ngong, Karen, Langata, Nairobi West/Madaraka, Kibra, Kawangware, Dagoretti/Satellite, Kilimani, Highrise/Ngumo and Kikuyu.
The Railways terminus will not be used.
Matatu using the terminus from Mombasa road will join Lusaka Road at Nyayo Stadium roundabout to Jogoo Road roundabout, Ladhies Road to Hakati terminus.
On Thursday, Green Park will be opened to PSVs using Ngong Road, Langata and Argwigs Kodhek roads and those picking passengers from any other place other than Railways bus terminus will use the park.
All matatus from Eastlands that operate to Kenyatta National Hospital and have valid licenses and passenger capacity of 42 and above will continue to operate to KNH using Haile Selassie.
NMS said Kenyatta Avenue and City Hall Way will not be used by PSVs.
“We will start the operation of Green park this month in two phases. This phase will be on a trial basis ahead of the main commissioning and all vehicles in the Railway Station will take part,” Ochieng said.
The terminus, located at the former Lunar Park, is a drop-off and pick-up point for matatus plying the Ngong Road, and Lang’ata routes, all currently operating from the Nairobi Railways Central station.
It is part of a wider city decongestion strategy being implemented by NMS under the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan which includes the construction of public service transport termini.
The terminus can accommodate about 1,000 PSVs per hour and up to 20,000 per day.
The national government entity had announced that only three matatus per sacco would be allowed to access the terminal at any given time.
The reopening has stalled despite President Uhuru Kenyatta inspecting it thrice last year.
Green Park is among six other termini that NMS has set up for Sh350 million to be official pick-up and drop-off points once matatus are barred from the Central Business District.
Others include Desai, Park road, Ladhies Muthurwa, Fig Tree terminus and Bunyala-Workshop Road.
However, Green Park is the biggest.
The first attempt to open the terminal was in December 2020, when NMS announced it was ready but postponed it.
NMS director general Mohammed Badi said construction designs and consultation with stakeholders were among some of the challenges that delayed the completion of the terminus.
Matatu owners faulted NMS for failing to consult them on the matter.
NMS had earlier said the delay had been occasioned by the construction of the Expressway.
The feedback from the test run is said to have caused a further delay as some issues had to be fixed.
In preparation, NMS last year conducted three test runs to identify challenges and loopholes.
The first test run on April 27, last year, was marred by confusion and frustrations.
The three-hour test run, which commenced at 6am was aimed to observe how matatus will drop off commuters at the terminal.
The second one was on May 28, last year from 3pm to 6pm to test the picking up of commuters.
After the second test run, NMS said some adjustments were needed in terms of Covid-19 safety measures and furniture to ensure matatus are not damaged while making a U-turn to drop off passengers.
The third one was on June 17, last year from 5am to 9pm.
However, NMS is optimistic that the test run will run smoothly with minimal interruptions
“Our team will be at the correct position for the rehearsal and we expect a seamless flow of events,” Ochieng said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
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