The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BRT

  • Lagos monarchs condemn destruction of 48 BRT buses

    Monarchs from Ikorodu have visited the Majidun, Lagos office of Primero Transport Services to express their sympathy over the destruction of 48 Blue BRT buses by hoodlums in Maryland.

    Led by the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kamoru Sotobi, the monarchs among who were the Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro and eight others, called on Lagosians to eschew violence and resist taking the laws into their hands.

    They bemoaned the unwarranted attack against buses, which they said had relieved transportation challenges facing their people since they began to service the route six months ago.

    Oba Agoro, who spoke on behalf of other monarchs, said they were saddened by the level of carnage meted on the franchisee, adding that the destruction of 48 buses was one too much.

    He prayed that God would grant the company the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Oba Agoro said the monarchs visited the company to verify whether the 48 buses were damaged by hoodlums, adding that they were extremely sad because of its effect on commuters.

    He said: “This is the first major incident that has serious impact on commuters on the route and we only pray to God almighty to grant the company the capacity to repair these buses on time in order to enable them put them (the buses) back on the road. We sympathise with the franchisee.”

    He said it could have been more beneficial, if the N193 million that would be used to repair the  buses had been pushed into purchasing more buses to provide services to the people of the area.

    Primero Transport Service Managing Director Mr. Fola Tinubu praised the monarchs for identifying with the company in its time of trial.

    Tinubu, who thanked Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the support he has enjoyed since the incident happened, said the governor has promised to come to the company’s aid.

    He said: “The violence has rendered 10 per cent of our buses immobile by our last assessment. It would take no less than two weeks to complete the repairs of the buses.”

    He said 15 suspects have so far been arrested and the police were  investigating the matter.

  • Two BRT drivers, 25 passengers injured in Maryland violence

    BUS Rapid Transit (BRT) franchisee spoke yesterday on Wednesday’s Maryland Independence Tunnel disturbance, saying two of his drivers known as busmen are still in hospital.

    Mr Fola Tinubu, Managing Director of Primero Transport Service Ltd, said 25 passengers attacked by hawkers were given first aid at the firm’s head office at Itowolo on Ikorodu Road.

    Despite the incident, the firm, he stated, has resumed full night and day services.

    Forty-eight of the firm’s buses were destroyed on Wednesday when hawker went wild after their colleague was crushed by a truck.

    Tinubu told reporters that the drivers agreed to return to work in the public interest.

    Tinubu, who commiserated with the bereaved family, said the company would ensure that the mayhem did not interfere with its operations.

    He said: “We had to suspend the night service over safety concerns for our busmen after the attack of Wednesday by the hoodlums. But after assessing the situation and with assurances from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who has been wonderful, I spoke with the busmen and they agreed to return to full night operations. It runs from 10pm till 5am.”

    Reliving the incident, he said: “At about noon on Wednesday, June 29, a street hawker scrambling to avert being arrested by Lagos State law enforcement agents ran into an approaching bottling company trailer, which crushed him to death. The blue BRT buses did not in any way, directly or otherwise, have contact with the late young man. The statement by Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials and the Lagos State Ministry of Information confirmed this.

    “Unfortunately, suspected hoodlums took advantage of this incident to unleash mayhem and terror on our busmen, while also causing severe damage to our buses at the scene of the accident. 48 of the buses were estimated to have been damaged by the hoodlums.

    “The damages range from broken windshields (front, side and rear) to the side mirrors. Some buses also had their exteriors dented. The buses will be parked in our depot until repair works are carried out, which we expect to run into hundreds of millions of naira.”

    He debunked the notion that the violence might have been orchestrated by National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) members, saying: “This had nothing to do with the NURTW. We have no evidence whatsoever linking NURTW to the violence.”

    The franchisee warned miscreants against venting their anger on the buses, as the company is privately owned. “We’ve employed over 2,500 people since we began operations in November and we have plans to employ even more. If we want employment, we can’t have this kind of occurrence. We can’t continue to damage private property; the world is watching.”

  • Lagos and changing face of BRT scheme

    SIR: With a population of about 18 million people, smallest state in Nigeria (357,700 hectares ) but the most populous, Lagos State is the hub of the nation’s economic activities. Forty-five percent of the country’s manpower resides in Lagos and as being experienced by emerging megacities worldwide, the issue of effective public transportation is one that residents have to daily contend with.

    It is in a bid to change the face of public transportation in Lagos state that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was introduced in 2008. The system operates on the concept of utilizing dedicated lanes in areas where competition with highway traffic would be greatest while it makes use of existing highways and roads in areas that are less congested in order to reduce cost. Since the implementation of the BRT scheme, it has become a reference point for other cities and countries.

    It has been the toast of commuters in Lagos because it is faster, safer, more reliable, more comfortable and cheaper. More importantly, it has also led to the reduction of accidents. In order to enhance service delivery of the BRT scheme, the Ambode administration recently launched over 400 air-conditioned buses on the ever busy Ikorodu road from Ikorodu roundabout to CMS. This is quite remarkable. It is now the in-thing for residents of this area to board these buses which now make their journey more predictable.

    One innovation that comes with the new buses is the introduction of the e-purse card that enables commuter buys their boarding tickets by loading their cards with preferable amount of money, as it applies to GSM phones. This makes boarding easier as owners of these cards do not have to queue for tickets. In addition, the BRT buses now work for 24 hours from Ikorodu to CMS, in order to further boost the socio-economic lives of the people.

    But in spite of the giant strides made by the state government in ameliorating the sufferings of the residents as far as transportation is concerned, there are some factors serving as clog in the wheel of progress in the sector. The first is the menace of ‘Okada’ (commercial motorcycle) riders who flout the state’s traffic law at will.  Another is lack of proper passenger flow control in BRT terminals. It is not uncommon to watch free boxing bouts at these terminals daily, a fall out of some passengers trying to play fast ones on others, either in an attempt to hurriedly purchase tickets or board the buses.

    On the whole, to address some of the challenges being encountered in the operation of the BRT scheme and to ensure a smooth ride for all Lagosians, the State Traffic Laws banning commercial motorcycle operators on major roads must be enforced to the letter. Equally, all non designated vehicles that pass through BRT lanes must be made to face the music. Also, proper crowd control must be ensured at all BRT terminals by employing more personnel for enforcement. In the same vein, traffic officers must be stationed at BRT bus stops to assist passengers in crossing the road by stopping on-coming vehicles that often choose to ignore the Zebra crossing signs.

    Also, the BRT scheme could be planned to include commuting within short distances within a particular local government or location. For instance, people commuting within Apapa, Ikeja, Island, Alimosho, Yaba etc could rely on BRT buses within the locations for their daily and routine movement. Once this is done and the operation of BRT in these locations becomes reliable, effective and efficient, more commuters would opt to leave their cars at home and would willingly embrace the BRT alternative. For the system to become more reliable, effective arrangements must be made for constant repair and refurbishment of buses in the BRT fleet. A well planned culture of maintenance must be embraced and strictly adhered to. The sorry state of some of the busses in the BRT fleet, before the recent government intervention, really makes this quite imperative.  

    • Adenike Ademola

    Lekki, Lagos.

  • Lagos plans night operation for BRT

    Lagos plans night operation for BRT

     

    The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts on the Light Up Lagos Project, an initiative aimed at lighting up every nook and cranny of the State.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, in a post on his website, said most major highways and streets have been lightened up, while massive repair of street lights are being carried out in other strategic places.

    In keeping faith with the actualization of the project targeted at creating an enabling environment that will ensure 24-hour power supply to residents in the next two years, Governor Ambode had set up an Advisory Council chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Idiat Oluranti-Adebule, with a charge on them to make electricity available to Lagosians for both business and domestic use.

    Ambode had equally urged individuals and corporate bodies to light up their streets and neighborhood, with a promise that such gestures would be duly rewarded and recognized by the State.

    The main idea behind the setting up of the Advisory Council was said to have been for members, who were drawn from the public and private sector, to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Power to actualize the dream.

    Speaking on the progress made so far on the project, a source said: “If you notice, in the past few months, if you move from Berger to Lekki, Ikorodu to Lagos Island, the entire Ikeja axis, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and so on, it is very clear that there are more street lights in Lagos today more than ever before.”

    While expressing confidence in the sincerity of the Ambode administration, the source however expressed hope that government would be able to sustain the project and make sure that street lights are on at all times in the State.

    When contacted, Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Wale Oluwo confirmed the efforts being made by government toward lighting up every nook and cranny of the State, and recalled that same were in line with the campaign promise made by Governor Ambode to the people.

    Oluwo said to underscore the commitment of government, arrangement has been concluded on having Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) buses to work at night once the light up project is completed.

    His words: “This is one of the campaign promises made to the people by the Governor and just like he has fulfilled others, this project will not be an exception.

    “The intention of government is to light up all highways in the State. In fact, the Governor is about to embark on 114 road reconstruction which will be done two per each Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the State with walkways and street lights.

    “You see, the street light project is more or less complimentary to the security equipment worth N4.8 billion recently donated by the Governor to the police, and the ultimate goal is that when all the street lights are on, we will start having BRT buses working at night.

    “You will recall that the Governor also promised to make Lagos city a 24-hour economy, this exactly is the change that the people voted for. We just appeal and pray that the Governor will continue to have the energy and resources to consummate all the promises and Lagos will be in the real sense of the word a megacity.”

    “We are assuring Lagosians that the process of lighting up every corner of the state has begun in earnest and we are not going to stop until we achieve our aim.”

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  • Commuters stranded on Ikorodu-CMS BRT route

    the closure of the 1st BRT buses by Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) has started to take its toll on Lagos commuters, as hundreds of passengers were stranded on ever busy Ikorodu-CMS route

    LAMATA last Thursday closed the Ojota yard depot of the BRT operated by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    The closure, according to a statement signed by Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Dayo Mobereola was due to the inability of the operator to adhere to the laid down agreement

    But commuters yesterday lamented the shortage of buses on the routes which led to passengers scrambling to board the few available buses to island

    One of the passengers returning from New Year break lamented that he has been at the Ojota bus stop for hours without getting a bus.

    “It is survival of the fittest. You have to struggle with other passengers before you can get a space in the buses.  I hope government and the operator of the BRT will find lasting solution to the problems because the suffering masses”

    Another passenger, Mrs Ify James, lamented the closure of the BRT was uncalled for, as government did not make alternative provision to take care of fallout of the closure.

    “It is unfair on the part of the state government to take such an action without making provision for effect of the closure. Now people are suffering because of their action. lf Sunday could be rowdy like this, I don’t know how Monday will look like,” he said.

  • Lagos halts BRT franchise in Ikorodu corridor

    Lagos halts BRT franchise in Ikorodu corridor

    Lagos State Government Thursday said it has terminated the franchise issued to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to operate a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the Mile 12 to CMS corridor of the state.

    State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo Mobereola who disclosed this to journalists, said the Lagos State Government’s decision to terminate the existing franchise agreement was based on non-compliance by the first BRT cooperative run by the National Union of Road Transport Workers with operational plans stipulated in the franchise agreement they signed.

    He said, “The termination of the franchise agreement with the operator is sequel to breaches of the BRT operations Service Level Agreement (SLA) it signed with the state government despite years of discussions and engagement to ensure the SLA was adhered to.

    “Though the Service Level Agreement requires a one-month notice prior to its termination, but the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, (LAMATA), custodian of the agreement, had indeed given a three-month notice which the operator failed to honour.”

    According to him, government’s decision communicated to the operator was premised on the inability of the operator to offer good public transport services to commuters on the all-important BRT corridor.

    “This has led to incessant complaints by members of the public over poor services provided by the operator and the deployment of vehicles not safe for use by the commuting public,” he added.

    Mobereola noted that the state government frowned at the non-operations of stipulated frequency schedules and operations of buses at below 50 per cent fleet capacity contrary to the agreement.

    “The failure of first BRT Cooperative to comply with the terms of the franchise agreement has led to passengers experiencing poor service quality typified by extensive waiting time and having to endure use of dilapidated and unsafe buses,” he said.

    The commissioner stated that these breaches, which the operator had indulged in and failed to remedy despite being notified of them, had made the state government to decide to order the operator out of the corridor in the interest of the commuting public.

    He said following government’s desire to sanitise bus operations along the Mile 12 to CMS corridor, it had on 29th September 2015 served it with a notice of termination of the franchise agreement, saying the operator had pleaded for time to be able to identify other corridor before removing all its buses from the depot.

     

  • Free bus ride for physically challenged persons

    The Lagos State Government has approved free bus ride on all Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and LAGBUS buses across all routes for physically challenged persons.

    A statement signed by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, on Monday directed that all buses operating under the BRT and LAGBUS Franchise must pick the physically challenged where the services are available in the state for no fee.

    He said the directive takes effect immediately.

    The commissioner also urged Lagosians commuting on the roads to continue to obey traffic laws as well as traffic officers when commuting on the road, especially during the yuletide season.

    “It has become necessary to state this against the background of observed huge traffic gridlock experienced at this festive period.  The situation reflects the disdain of motorists for the traffic laws and officers on the one hand and gross indiscipline exhibited by motorists on the other.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, please note that the traffic officers, whether the men of Nigerian Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) or the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASMA) are there to serve us but will view infractions with the eyes of the law.

    “While we wish you all a very happy festival period, we urge you to please ensure that safety is a priority for both passengers and drivers alike.  Please observe all the rudiments of safe commuting by obeying the traffic regulations. We wish you Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year,” Mobereola said.

     

  • New BRT: Lagos govt will keep improving services, says Assembly leader

    New BRT: Lagos govt will keep improving services, says Assembly leader

    After more than 15 years of not using the public transport system, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, decided to have a feel of the new Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system from Ikorodu to Mile 12 inaugurated by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode about three weeks ago.

    He joined the bus at Ikorodu garage and disembarked at Ketu. Agunbiade described his experience in three words: interesting, interactive and revealing. He said his experience was interesting because “I found the interior of the vehicle comfortable for any class of person to travel in. Interactive because I had interaction with other passengers from point of departure which is the bus station at Ikorodu garage and point of disembarking which is Ketu. Other passengers were eager to tell me their experience, delight and expectations for better service.

    “And revealing, because right from the bus station at garage where I joined, people were urging me to speak with them during the waiting hour and the ticketing system which they criticised as not being customer friendly and wanting improvement. They also query why a ticket purchased for a trip but not used for that trip because the bus would not come on time and they would have to find their way with the hope of using same ticket for return journey but operators will invalidate such tickets for use that same day.”

    The passengers, he said, also complained that the card readers does not work in some cases, thus creating difficulty for card users, “some of them want more buses in the fleet to reduce hours passengers will have to waite. The lawmaker decried the situation where unauthorised vehicles struggle for use of the BRT corridor with the BRT buses, which resulted in the bus he travelled in that day colliding with an Okada rider.

    “The huge investment on the Ikorodu-Mile 12 BRT corridor and its attendant positive effect on vehicular movements and travel time for people in Ikorodu and its environs should not be rubbished by the lawlessness of some okada riders, car owners and yellow buses who force their way on the corridor and compete for available space on the road with the BRT buses. This can lead to friction between both parties leading to unimaginable crises that could be violent as it has always been the case when BRT buses collide with other unlawful users on the BRT corridor,” he said.

    The lawmaker promised that the Lagos State government will continue to address grey areas in the operation of the buses with a view to always improving the services being rendered to the people of the state.

  • BRT gets 434 new buses

    BRT gets 434 new buses

    •LAMATA launches Ikorodu – CMS route extension

    The Lagos State Government will tomorrow inject 434 new buses into the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operation, the project’s consultant said yesterday. The high-capacity air-conditioned buses will convey no fewer than 400,000 passengers daily on the Ikorodu-CMS via Mile 12 route.

    The state will also launch the extension of the high-capacity buses’ operation from Mile 12 to Ikorodu.

    Under the exercise, four lanes will be added to the road and BRT routes placed in its middle.

    According to the Lagos Metropolis Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) consultants, the Mile 12–Ikorodu route is a two-in-one project which includes the widening of the 13.5km road from four to six lanes. They added that the BRT lanes will run in the middle with supporting infrastructure.

    Some of the infrastructure is to ensure commuters’ safety and convenience include three bus terminals at Mile 12, Agric and Ikorodu; one state-of-the-art depot at Majidun with capacity to accommodate over 400 buses, 15 bus shelters and six pedestrian bridges, among others.

    BRT operation on the Ikorodu–CMS via Mile 12 route is expected to ease traffic on that road, aid economic growth and provide jobs for thousands of people.

     

  • Lagos warns military officers against plying BRT lanes

    Lagos warns military officers against plying BRT lanes

    The Lagos State Government on Tuesday urged security personnel to comply with the State Traffic Law and desist from plying Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor along the Ikorodu Road axis.

    General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Bashir Braimah spoke following a joint enforcement against BRT violation with the military police and the Nigerian police carried out on Monday.

    He lamented the rate at which military personnel flout BRT law with impunity, noting that the 15 vehicles found plying the BRT corridors during the exercise were either driven by the military or with military paraphernalia hanging in the vehicles.

    Amongst the vehicles found plying the BRT corridor was silver Toyota Matrix 103 AT fully loaded with top military personnel.

    Other vehicles were a bus belonging to the Nigeria Army college of Nursing with registration number NA 830 BOA, a army green Peugeot with registration number NA 284 B0/1, silver Nissan KTU 820 AY, Silver colour Toyota Camry KJA 233 TB, green Hilux truck DHQ 232, Navy colour Volkswagen bus with registration number MUS 693 CY driven by a fully kitted Naval officer.

    He wondered why military personnel who should be the custodian of the Traffic Law were instead working against it.

    He added that law is no respecter of nobody and the road traffic law must be obeyed in other ensure the safety of lives and property.