As part of its efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, the government has excluded petrol and diesel-powered buses from the lucrative bus rapid transport (BRT) system that will begin operations on Thika and Mombasa roads from June this year.
To stop traffic congestion, only electric and hybrid cars that make use of electric and fossil fuels, and also vehicles that use biofuels like hydrogen and biogas, will be deployed on the dedicated lane for large-capacity buses.
According to local environmental experts, fossil fuel-powered automobiles, buses, and matatus release a significant amount of carbon dioxide in Nairobi on a daily basis.
“We want to lead from the front when it comes to (fight against) climate change. We have an opportunity to move from rhetoric to actualizing this aspiration,” Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Charles Hinga told the Business Daily.
Mr Hinga stated that BRT corridors will be launched by mid this year and is expected to hold up to 100 high-capacity buses. “The initial fleet is 100 but going up to 300 in subsequent orders. We are targeting June or July. Local content is minimum 40 per cent,” Mr Hinga disclosed.
Kenya is seeking to offer private firms 12-year concessions to run the BRT project which will bring convenience to road users ease traffic in Nairobi.
“The buses are to be considered in three options based on propulsion technology (namely) biodiesel, hybrid, electric and the options for sale or a proposed lease tenure covering a three, seven and 12 years period,” said the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (Namata) acting director-general, Francis Gitau, in a notice published in local dailies.
“Bidders shall submit both technical and financial proposals…Tenders will be immediately opened…on Tuesday 22 March.”
Attempts by the previous administrations to organise public transport and rid the capital of old polluting buses have met resistance by public transport operators.
Kenya’s Environmental activists welcomed the initiative.
“As we phase out fossil we should look into the use of alternatives such as electric-powered vehicles, which means zero carbon emissions. Unfortunately, it is not practical to switch over and hence the need for phasing out and including blending with biodiesel,” said the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC) chief executive Edward Mungai.
Various studies indicate that the climate change impact of biofuels is generally lower than diesel and petrol.
Many urban authorities around the world battling gridlocked centres and air pollution are looking to discourage private car commutes.
