SPTC brings people home in Express way |06 September 2013

Port Launay and Baie Lazare Express buses taking on passengers at the Victoria Bus Terminal

The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) is always improving its services to the public. The company is in constant collaboration with all the district administrations and listens to suggestions from members of the public to better the public transport system.

Recently, SPTC has introduced new bus schedules on various routes to cater for such demands and suggestions. It must be noted that the company not just puts into practice what everyone says, they also undertake visits on respective sites and the decisions taken to either put another service on certain roads are based also on road conditions, demands and topography of the land.

Among the new services recently introduced are Shuttle, Express, extra buses or amended time of service to various districts.

Port Launay via La Misère Express is one route that has benefited from an express service which leaves the Victoria Bus Terminal at 16.25hrs. The bus’ only stop in town is at the Playground Bus Stop taking the route via Bois de Rose up La Misère. Its other stop is at the Grand Anse, Mahé junction.  So commuters are advised that there’s no La Louise and La Misère stops on that bus!

Commuters on this route are very grateful and many of them are choosing this bus instead of the normal Port Launay via La Misère which stops at every bus stop on the way up.

“I appreciate this service a lot,” says Joana, a lady residing at Grand Anse, Mahé. “Before I always arrived home at almost 6pm everyday. Now I am there by 5.00pm latest depending on traffic flow in Victoria. So I make sure I choose this bus every afternoon after work as I see it as a very beneficial service introduced by the SPTC.”

As for Joachim he believes that this express service has made Port Launay ‘much closer to town’.

“I arrive home so early nowadays that I have much more time to myself, do certain chores around the house that I couldn’t before as it was already dark when I got there.”

Joanne says this service allows her to even sleep all the way home as it does not stop and disturb passengers who always had to either get up to allow a person get off or on the bus.

As it happens with such service, a few people are still not getting it right – Port Launay Express does not stop at either La Louise or La Misère. It goes all the way NON STOP! Hence the name.

The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation also runs other Express bus services to other districts. In the morning an Express service departs Takamaka district at 6.50am.  Its first stop is at Anse Royale and from there operates an Express up to Airport where it stops to alight passengers and then goes via Highway, stopping at Roche Caiman roundabout, then goes straight stopping at the Children’s Playground before ending the trip at the Victoria Bus Terminal.

In the afternoon’s peak hours one Express bus service departs the main bus terminal for Baie Lazare via Les Cannelles at 4.15pm and another to Baie Lazare via Takamaka at 4.20pm.  Both buses stop at the Children’s Playground and then goes through Bois de Rose Avenue stopping at Airport and Anse Royale on their way to their respective destinations.