Marrakech- Marrakech’s bus transport system will be upgraded in 2015, according to a report in L’Economiste. A rapid bus service will be launched from departure points at Koutoubia and Bab Doukkala to the main city suburbs.
The first two new routes are planned for 2015, with service to the suburbs of Mhamid Guemassa, Massira, and Sidi Youssef Ben Ali. The new bus station will be located on Boulevard Allal El Fassi.
There will be an expanded public transportation network to outlying urban networks, including Tammansourt.
Main roads and avenues have already been widened, and the new transit system is expected to help to reduce the congestion on Marrakech’s roadways. The rapid bus service is planned will have buses arrive less than 5 minutes apart during peak hours and a maximum of ten minutes during off peak periods.
Special bus-only lanes will be created alongside two lanes for four-wheel vehicles and one lane for two-wheel vehicles such as motorbikes, the article reports. It will be interesting to see whether car and motorcycle drivers will keep to the allotted lanes.
The Spanish bus company ALSO will implement urban transportation plan. The current service is often overcrowded. New models of buses are being phased in and the population will welcome the new bus service if its frequency and punctuality can be increased.
New lanes for buses, cars, heavy commercial vehicles, and motorbikes will hopefully mean that traffic will flow more freely, and traffic jams, which afflict all cities, will be reduced. The plan is further evidence of Marrakech’s development as a major urban center. One question that has yet to be answered is how much the new tickets will cost. Although the current bus service suffers from old vehicles and a lack of seats, the service is regular and the bus fare is four dirhams one way.
