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An effort to address transportation challenges in urban areas, the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Retired Colonel Alhaji Fanday Turay, has announced that 50 buses will soon arrive in Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Transport and Aviation, Retired Colonel Alhaji Fanday Turay, has revealed plans to tackle urban transportation challenges in Sierra Leone. In a recent announcement during the Ministry of Information and Civic Education Press Conference on October 24, 2023, he shared that 50 buses will soon be introduced as part of a $52 million project, backed by a $50 million grant from the World Bank and $2 million from the Sierra Leone government. This initiative, known as the Integrated Resilient Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP), is set to run from 2019 to 2024.
Minister Turay emphasized that these buses are an initial step, with intentions to extend the service to various provincial headquarters. The buses will operate on the Western and Eastern corridors, connecting key locations. The Western corridor will span from Number 2 and stop at the bus station, while the Eastern corridor will start at Jui and stop at the Central Business District.To manage their operation, a new company will be formed, incorporating existing drivers on these routes.
Furthermore, changes to the traffic system will reserve specific lanes for these buses and emergency vehicles, potentially improving overall traffic flow. A cashless payment system will also be introduced, offering a convenient card-based payment method for travelers. Additionally, measures to accommodate physically challenged individuals are under consideration.
Minister Turay assured the public that these buses are in excellent condition, having undergone rigorous inspections. He emphasized President Julius Maada Bio’s commitment to improving public transportation and stressed the importance of public engagement throughout the process. The IRUMP project aims to enhance urban mobility in Sierra Leone by modernizing public transport, improving roads, and building the capacity of project participants.
That’s a good news and I hope it actualize for the benefits of every Sierra Leonean
What a good news as we await to see those buses in full operation
They can be in pristine condition, but the maintenance of these buses and bad drivers are the causes of early break downs and poor management as we have seen in the past regime. Training is of utmost importance.
To have the Buses is not a problem, but to decrease the fuel price is a problem,let us first fight the price control even if we have 100 Buses that will not make transport go down,we appreciate but government need to do some thing towards price control with those Lebaneses they are really creating problems
God bless you all and guide you all…
Nice 👌 move sir.