The Lagos light rail will start soon, the Lagos State Government has said. A test run of the trains, would start this year, barring the odds of the importation of the rolling stocks.
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) Managing Director, Dr Dayo Mobereola, stated this at the ministerial briefing for the Ministry of Transportation, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital.
Mobereola, who was represented by the Director, Corporate Investment Planning, Mr Olutayo Orekoya, said work might start in the next two months on the light train as the project is 95 per cent completed.
According to him, work on the first phase of the 27km Blue line, from Okokomaiko to Marina, is ongoing with the Mile 2 to National Theatre (a distance of seven kilometres 95 per cent completed). The second phase, from National Theatre to Marina, which is five kilometres is ongoing.
He said: “The stations and terminus at all our various train stations are already completed. Soon, we would start to test run the signaling, the rail tracks and the joints in preparation for the deployment of the rolling stocks for full commercial activities.”
Mobereola, however, said government would soon announce the commencement date for the flag-off of commercial light rail service in the state.
The rail system, he said, is an integral part of the Strategic Transportation Master Plan (STMP) phase II, which took off two years ago and would end in 2020. He added that due to the attainment of the landmarks of the plan, the agency has extended the plan to 2032.
Under the plan, Mobereola said: “The government would attain its inter modality initiatives which would see the completion of six rail lines, one monorail, 14 BRT corridors, three cable cars and 26 water routes.”
He added that a 37-km rail route from Agbado to Marina, to be known as the Red Line is awaiting Federal Government’s approval for construction.
Mobereola said attention is on the development of a virile intermodal system of transportation that would ensure Lagosians continue to enjoy their travel time and reduce traffic headaches.
Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa in his account of stewardship said government will continue to strengthen public transportation and make it more attractive as it remains the only way to reduce the volume of vehicle traffic and make travelling a pleasurable experience in the state.
Opeifa, who declared that Lagos roads today are safer than what the Fashola administration met in 2007, stated that transport infrastructure has improved within the same corresponding period, while quality of vehicle services has also improved for better service delivery.
He said: “The state as a leading advocate of safer vehicles, safer drivers and safer community has achieved 81 per cent reduction in the number of motorcycle-related accidents at the state’s hospitals, 80 per cent reduction in number of motorcycle-related deaths, 80 percent increase in the number of road worthy vehicles and 170 per cent increase in the number of request for genuine driver licence.
“There has been huge reduction in motorcycle-related crimes by police reports, 80 per cent reduction in the number of people driving against traffic, 85 per cent reduction in the number of people violating restriction on major highways, better traffic flow and less green gas emission contributions from transport-related sources.”
Opeifa said the state’s public transportation initiative is benchmarked on road rail and water transportation, adding that while government injected 500 buses on the BRT fleet last year, it hopes to push about 250 air-conditioned buses into the system by year end.
He said the state established a passenger carriage company LagFerry last year, with which it planned to inject bigger ferries that would drive down the cost which according to him, is presently prohibitive. He said the mile to mile transportation option is by taxi, bicycle or walking, adding that the recently revised taxi system which entails the presentation of free 14,000 licences to all operators is meant to stimulate the growth of the taxi sector. Among other agencies that equally took time to brief reporters are the Lagos State Drivers Institute (LASDRI), LAMATA, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Lagos Bus Assets Company (LAGBUS), LagFerry and the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA).