High-speed bus system in Uganda and Nigeria

30 October 2009

The Ugandan Government is going to establish a system of high-speed buses in Kampala, the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit).

Intended for large conurbations, the system aims to avoid bottlenecks and protect the environment when in full operation.

High-capacity buses are operated in the same way as underground systems, and provide the same capacities as tramways.

The design of the buses and the passenger stops allows for the bus to be boarded very rapidly – large doors, elevated stations, payment on entering the stations – and control of the operations is centralised.

The system is already in operation in cities such as Bogota and Djakarta, and Lagos in Nigeria should soon be equipped as well. The Ugandan Government is hoping in this way to relieve the pressure on the traffic system as well as on the existing public transport services, which are at saturation point due to the growing population.

The World Bank has provided the funds necessary to carry out the feasibility studies, which will be concluded in February 2010.

The work will be carried out over the period from 2011 to 2013, to go into service in 2014.<br/>