GOVERNMENT has insisted that commuter omnibus operators in urban centres have to operate under the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) ambit as it brings sanity to the transport sector.
Last week, Cabinet gave commuter operators plying intercity
routes the greenlight to start operating. The nod gave hope to those plying
urban routes that they could be back on the road soon.
However, Local Government and Public Works Minister July
Moyo clarified during last Wednesday’s National Assembly’s Question and Answer
session that the door is still shut for urban kombi operators.
Minister Moyo said Government was remodelling the urban
transport sector to make it more organised and operators who want to have their
vehicles on the road should register their vehicles under the Zupco scheme.
“It is indeed Government policy to rationalise the urban
transport system and the choice of Zupco is not to create a monopoly at the
exclusion of other operators.
“That is why every operator has been given an opportunity
with their vehicles, buses or commuter omnibus to register with Zupco so that
we can make sure that the routes are well marked and we can rationalise
everywhere in the urban centres.
“When it comes to the inter-city which is the
responsibility of the Minister of Transport, he can answer that part of it. We
are clear what we want to achieve is a rationalised urban transport system in
this country,” said Minister Moyo.
Some kombi crews had become known for their notoriety and
disrespect of clients.
Speaking on the same subject, Transport and Infrastructural
Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza said Government opened up the transport
sector for intercity travel to facilitate easy access to resort areas.
“We have opened the inter-city to allow for those areas
that are interlinked that have been opened for instance tourism. It has been
opened so there is need to link tourists who travel by bus to be able to go to
places like Victoria Falls and other areas. So those have been opened and
opened to operators who satisfy the guidelines set by our taskforce. I’m happy
that many have complied and our roads are being plied by those who did comply,”
said Minister Matiza.
He said taxi operators have also been given the green light
to start operating.
“Metered transport especially the taxis, we have also
allowed to start operating subject to the guidelines that have been put in
place. In fact, we have gone further to allow Traffic Safety Council of
Zimbabwe and Driving Schools to allow the testing of taxi drivers as well. The
whole chain has been taken care of in terms of metered vehicles,” he said.
The Minister commended the police for ensuring compliance
on the roads. Chronicle
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