Location of the Taxi terminals and their influence on traffic flow management in Kampala central business district.

Abstract

The study is about location of taxi terminals and their influence on traffic flow management in the central business district. Taxi terminals are places where they load and upload passengers to move from one place to another. it consists of an efficient and cost effective public transport system essentially connects people to daily life (Wright 2011). The vast majority of developing city residents however, public transport is the only practical means to essential services, especially when such services are beyond viable walking and cycling distances (Wright 2011). The terminals are geographically located on aflat topography boarded by mengo hill and Nakasero hill on either sides in the center of the central business district. They are surrounded with a number of roads for accessibility and commercial buildings for example Magoba, Mukwano plaza, mega standards and Yamaha building, nabukere plaza which are meant for commercial purposes. The location of these terminals in the center of the CBD have resulted into an outbreak of challenges in the city that is to say congestion brought about by the mixed modes of transport in the city. On the historical perspective, the taxi terminals that is to say the old taxi park, was established in the late 1950s as an area reserved for black African traders, who had been marginalized in the organized trade systems of Kampala that was the Asian dominated. If planned, the old taxi park could turn out to be the first and only modern storied taxi terminal in Uganda. The government of Uganda together with KCCA have came up with measures to overcame the challenges brought by the location of taxi terminals in the central business district. They have come up with ideas of investing in the BRT to act as the major mode of transport in the city. The reason behind this is to overcome the challenges caused by taxis in the central business district. This has failed due to little effort put in the idea by the government. Therefore this calls for research to be conducted in the city about the location of taxi terminals and their influence in traffic flow management in Kampala central business district.