MARCH 23 2022
The National Capital District Commission (NCDC) will by the end of this month launch an alternative public transport service to address the growing demand and call for a reliable, efficient and secure public transport system for the city.
This follows a number of years of planning by NCDC and negotiations with the National Department of Transport and the Road Transport Authority (RTA) which have the power and authority over public transport in the city. An agreement was reached at the end of 2021 with the RTA finally authorising NCDC to operate an alternative service initially on eight routes.
In welcoming the decision of the RTA, NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop – who has been pushing for the decentralisation of these powers for a while – assured the people of the city that the new service would seek to promote and deliver a public transport that was reliable, safe, efficient and affordable.
“We will start with two initial routes and then gradually cover all eight routes. If all goes well, we can cover more routes and deliver a greater and better service a growing metropolis like Port Moresby deserves,” he said.
Governor Parkop called on the public,, including the PMV owners and operators, to support this initiative and work with NCDC to deliver a better public transport system befitting the city.
He assured the PMV owners and operators that the new service would run routes not serviced by the existing PMV so it would complement their efforts.
For the future, Governor Parkop envisaged an outcome where the current PMV owners and operators can partner NCDC as joint venture partners to operate a bus company jointly owned by them and the public.
This new service will be in addition to the Commission’s school bus services for students, the Meri Safe Bus Service and the Peak Hours Bus Service.
Governor Parkop last week met with the executive management at the City Hall together with a consultant engaged by the then Public Enterprise Department, to finalise plans to launch and start service for two initial bus routes.
The e routes to be serviced by the new pub mitt owned bus service comprise of:
ROUTE 1: Gerehu – 9-Mile – Gerehu;
ROUTE 2 – 9-Mile – Laloki Bridge – 9-Mile;
ROUTE 3: 9-Mile – 14-Mile – 9-Mile;
ROUTE 4: 6-Mile – Bautama – 6-Mile;
ROUTE 5: 4-Mile – Taurama village – 4-Mile;
ROUTE 6: Waigani – Konedobu – Waigani;
ROUTE 7: Gerehu – Waigani market – Gerehu; and,
ROUTE 8: Yet to be decided.
Governor Parkop said APEC buses would be used to service the routes during peak hours.
A reasonable fee will be charged to sustain the operation of the buses. It won’t be free as earlier reported but it will be more affordable, according to Governor Parkop.
Governor Parkop said the School Bus Initiatives for Women and Girls would continue.
“It’s been going on successfully and everyone is benefiting. It is important that women, girls and school children in particular feel safe when they are using public transport,” he added.
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