Gahanga ground has been added to the list of Kigali’s newly designated park-and-ride spaces after assessments to identify additional suitable areas.

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The park-and-ride system is designed to reduce traffic in busy urban areas by encouraging car owners to switch to public transport for part of their journey.

Instead of driving all the way into the city centre, commuters can park their vehicles and continue by bus or other forms of mass transit.

Authorities say the approach can help cut congestion, reduce pollution, save time, and promote the use of public transport in the rapidly growing capital.

Under the initiative, motorists are advised to leave their cars at designated parking areas on the outskirts or in less congested zones and continue their journeys using public transport.

The Gahanga site forms part of land initially planned for Gahanga Olympic Stadium.

A section of it had been designated as a playground, which can now be used as a parking space.

"This was not previously a public parking area, but it can now be used, and buses can pick up passengers from there,” Emma-Claudine Ntirenganya, spokesperson for the City of Kigali explained.

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Identified locations with sufficient parking space include Kabuga Bus Station with about 1,000 parking capacity , Amahoro Stadium (Kwa Rwahama) with about 2,000 capacity , Kigali Pele Stadium, and the former Magerwa site in Ruyenzi, Kamonyi District.

Parking operations at these sites are managed by Millennium Savings & Investment Cooperative (MISIC), which is responsible for collecting parking fees in both street and indoor parking facilities.

Ntirenganya explained that motorists familiar with Kigali can easily identify suitable parking spaces across different parts of the city, adding that the largest parking areas were selected to help those less familiar with the city navigate more easily.

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"Those who are familiar with Kigali are reminded of the large parking spaces so that they can easily locate them from wherever they are. If someone is in Remera or Gahanga, they can know where to park,” she said.

Parking at these designated areas costs Rwf200 per hour, although motorists may opt for free parking where available.

"The parking spaces are charged at Rwf200 per hour, but if you have another place where you can park for free, you may use it,” she added.

She noted that the initiative largely relies on existing public parking infrastructure, with additional spaces introduced to improve accessibility.

Uptake

Kigali’s newly designated park-and-ride spaces on Friday, April 24, saw little use, as some motorists opted to avoid traffic congestion by leaving home early rather than switching to the new system.

The system took effect as lanes dedicated to buses were extended also took effect to reduce congestion and fuel consumption amid price crisis.

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A visit by The New Times to key sites, including Gahanga and areas around Amahoro Stadium, found most spaces empty.

At the new parking area in Gahanga, there were no private cars parked. Only vehicles used for driving lessons were present.

No agent from MISIC was available at the site.

"I arrived here in the morning for driving training, but no private cars came seeking parking because of the congestion,” said Jean-Damascène Karinganire at the driving training ground.

The parking space around Amahoro Stadium, in an area known as Kwa Rwahama, also had no cars parked.

Two cleaners sweeping the area and a police officer guarding the site told The New Times that no vehicles had come seeking parking space.

Some motorists said they planned their journeys earlier and saw no need to use the designated parking areas.

"I arrived early, and by 6:00 am I was already in the city centre,” said Emeline Uwiragiye, who lives on Rebero Hill.

Oscar Mujyambere, a resident of Masaka Sector who works in Kacyiru, said he left home before 6:00 am and arrived at work before congestion built up.

Residents of Kigali have been encouraged to embrace the park-and-ride system as part of ongoing efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.