By Abolaji Adebayo
Motorists in the Oshodi – Abule-Egba corridor can help the government decongest traffic by dropping their cars and riding the 550 buses on the route.
There are expectations that the BRT will be extended to the Sango Toll Gate.
Commuters in the Sango/Toll Gate axis have appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to extend the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Toll Gate bust stop as the governor commissioned the 13.68km Oshodi-Abule Egba route on Tuesday.
The BRT lane constructed by the Lagos State Government starting from Oshodi is ended at Abule Egba which means the residents living at any location from Abule Egba to Toll Gate could not enjoy the transportation beyond Abule Egba.
While commissioning the BRT, the governor described the commissioning as “a major milestone” in the implementation of his administration’s reform agenda in public transport system.
“A little over a year ago, we pledged to significantly improve traffic flow and transportation system which is the very first of our six-point development agenda encapsulated as Project T.H.E.M.E.S. We made the pledge knowing that the people are the main reason we have been entrusted with the management of our commonwealth.
“Today, we are here to formally flag-off a very important public transport infrastructure – the Oshodi–Abule Egba BRT corridor – which officially launches the commencement of transport operation along the BRT corridor. We are unveiling 550 high and medium capacity buses which will be immediately deployed for public use. This event also formally inaugurates our upgraded e-ticketing system in fulfilment of our pledge.
“This project is very significant because of its immense benefits to Lagosians in the different communities it straddles and to visitors to our state. This new BRT corridor will bring great relief to over 60,000 commuters who will use this facility daily. Travel time, which is estimated at an average of two hours during peak periods, will be significantly reduced to an average of 30 minutes. This will improve the health of our people, engender a safer environment, and increase the value of socio-economic activities in the State.
“With the e-ticketing system, we envisage the use of a single card on buses and ferries and later upscale to the railways system when passenger operations commence in 2022. The system promotes a cashless ecosystem, aids personal budgeting and planning and commuters can easily top up.”
The Governor disclosed that the State Government would be distributing the first 100,000 Cowry cards to residents free of charge.
The BRT project was handled and supervised by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) – an agency of the State’s Ministry of Transportation.
It is a median running route with 14 drop-off terminals along the Oshodi-Abule Egba route, which terminates at Katangua Bus Station. Each terminal has well ventilated foyer where passengers can sit and wait for buses.
The route was designed with 11 pedestrian bridges, traffic safety measures and street lighting.
However, the residents who live between Abule Egba and Toll Gate which is the boundary between Lagos and Ogun State said the government should have extended the project beyond Abule Egba to ease their own movement as well.
Those who spoke to our correspondent complained that the commercial buses extort them since there is no public transportation controlled by the government in the axis.
They therefore urged the Lagos State Government to extend the project to the boundary at Toll Gate for the residents living the area to also enjoy the public transportation means.
