Tag: BRT

  • Lagos State Govt To Stop Its 50% Discount On BRT Fares

    Lagos State Govt To Stop Its 50% Discount On BRT Fares

    The Lagos State Government has announced that from April 1, 2023, the existing 50% discount on the fares of buses owned by the state would no longer apply.

    This was contained in a statement by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in which the government stated that fares of state-owned buses will return to their original rates from the said date.

    Recall that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had in early February introduced the 50% reduction on all state-owned transport services as a measure to cushion the effect of the bitting naira and fuel scarcity faced by residents of the state.

    The statement read: “With effect from Saturday, April 1, bus fare on all regulated buses — BRT, standard and FLM — shall revert to 100 per cent rate.

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, had on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, approved a 50% slash in bus fares following the cash crunch brought about by the recent currency swap.

    “Following the Supreme Court and Federal Government’s pronouncements on the use of old notes alongside the new notes and return of stability to the system, the 50% rebate is hereby discontinued.”

  • Umar Farouq sympathize with Lagos Train/BRT crash victims

    Umar Farouq sympathize with Lagos Train/BRT crash victims

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has sympathized with BRT staff bus and train collusion crash victims which occurred Thursday morning at PWD railway intersection.

    While sympathizing with the Lagos state government and victims and families of those who lost their lives in the accident described it as unfortunate .and unavoidable the crash which involved 85 people who lost their lives.

    “ I express my condolences to the Lagos state government and victims of this fatal train accident. This is tragic and very unfortunate especially when it could have been avoided by exercising a little patience. I am very saddened by the loss of lives through the carelessness of a BRT driver.”

    “May God rest their souls. We pray for the quick recovery of those injured in the accident as some of the survivors have been taken to hospital by the first responders for treatment.*

    “ We however need more sensitization programmes for BRT drivers and other railway line and road users on the dangers of crossing the rail when a train is approaching.”

    The South West Zonal Coordinator, of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye during an eye witness reported, said that the State Government staff bus attempted crossing the PWD/Sogunle rail while the train was approaching but got trapped on the rail leading to the crash.

    Farinloye said many victims were rescued by LASEMA, NEMA, Police, FRSC, Civil Defebce and the Nigeria Railway Corporation team while some died in the crash, adding bodies of the dead have since been deposited in the morgue.

  • UPDATE: Six Dead, Scores Injured As Train Crashes Into Lagos BRT Staff Bus

    UPDATE: Six Dead, Scores Injured As Train Crashes Into Lagos BRT Staff Bus

    At least two staff members of the Lagos State Government have died and several others injured in a collision between a train and a staff bus on the rail track at Ikeja Along, Sogunle area of the state.

    It was learnt that the BRT, which was conveying staff of the state government to work, wanted to cross the rail line when it was trapped by the moving train.

    The spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the incident.

    “Two bodies of female staff (members) of the State Government, have been recovered and several injured persons have been evacuated.

    “The State Government staff bus was trying to cross the PWD/Sogunle rail crossing while the train coming into Lagos from Abeokuta (Ogun State) trapped the bus on its rail,” he said.

  • #EndSARS: BRT loses N100m in 6-day

    #EndSARS: BRT loses N100m in 6-day

    The Management of Primero Transport Services (PTS) Ltd., an operator of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Lagos, has said it lost over N100 million in six days due to the #EndSARS protests.

    Mr Mutiu Yekeen, the Head, Corporate Communications, PTS, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday.

    Yekeen said that the company made a lot of losses between Oct. 16 and Oct. 21.

    He said that the management was not currently operating at any level because the protest in Ikorodu had been hard on its operations.

    The spokesperson said that the BRT had not been operating since Friday, adding that, the state government had also declared curfew which means no transporter could operate from 4p.m on Tuesday.

    “We are hoping something better will come out of the situation because, presently, the situation has impacted negatively on our business in terms of revenue generation.

    “We have lost over N100 million in the last six days but we decided to stop operations to avoid damage to our vehicles and also for the safety of commuters as an organisation.

    “We value our customers more importantly; that is why we stopped operation due to volatility of the state especially in Ikorodu.

    “If you listen to the news this morning, you will discover that people cannot travel from Ikorodu to any part of Lagos,” he said.

    Yekeen said the present situation in the country was having negative effect on its organisation while he prayed for peace in the country.

  • Heavy gunshots as hoodlums set ablaze BRT terminal, buses in Lagos

    Heavy gunshots as hoodlums set ablaze BRT terminal, buses in Lagos

    Hoodlums set ablaze the Bus Rapid Transit terminal at Oyingbo, Lagos Mainland, Lagos State, eyewitnesses said on Wednesday.

    They also burnt many BRT buses, at least three residents in the area confirmed.

    The eyewitnesses said there is tension in the area.

    One of the residents, Okanlawon, said two persons are feared dead.

    “Markets cannot open. We heard two people have died The hoodlums are angry. We are hearing gunshots’ sounds. Nobody can go out,” he told our correspondent on the telephone.

    Another resident, AnuOluwapo, said there were heavy gunshots at Adekunle Bus-Stop inward Third Mainland Bridge.

    This was also seen in a viral video seen by our correspondent.

    The leader of the local vigilante team in the area, Agbodemu Ishola, said, “When the news of police stations being burnt spread yesterday, some of us, including NURTW team and mainland security, met with the boys and pleaded with them to ensure that Lagos Mainland is crime-free. They agreed and promised to protest peacefully.

    “It was after the meeting that they heard about shootings at Lekki toll gate and they began to mobilise this morning.

    “They said they are angry that their friends were shot. They asked the police to go back to their stations and drop their guns. We pleaded with them.

    “They threw bottles and other weapons at us. They wanted to attack Denton Police Station but they couldn’t penetrate. The Local Government Secretariat was attacked. They damaged a school. They destroyed over 100 BRT buses. They burnt the terminal.

    “They wanted to attack Adekunke Police Station but officers repelled them. That is why there were heavy gunshots. Two vigilantes have been shot. We are in the hospital.”

  • Ban: Commuters in Iyana-Ipaja-Ikeja axis beg for more BRT buses

    Ban: Commuters in Iyana-Ipaja-Ikeja axis beg for more BRT buses

    As the restriction of operations of motorcycles and tricycles bites harder in Lagos, commuters in Alimosho area have appealed to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to increase BRT buses deployed to Iyana-Ipaja and Ikeja axis.

    Some commuters at Iyana-Ipaja and Iyana-Dopemu on Wednesday said that the restriction of motorcycles in the area had brought them hardship.

    According to them, the development has also increased gridlock along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway rather than reduce it, with many resorting to trekking long distances.

    Scores of commuters at Iyana-Ipaja and Iyana-Dopemu waiting to board vehicles to their destinations.

    A long queue of commuters was seen at Iyana-Dopemu waiting for BRT buses of the Lagos Bus Service Limited (LBSL).

    An Engineer, Mr Ayo Alade, told NAN that the only way of relieving the plight of commuters in the area was speedy completion of Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT corridors and deployment of more buses to the area.

    “Tell Sanwo-Olu that those of us living at Iyana-Ipaja were suffering even before the ban of Okada on this road. Now that Okada has been banned, the suffering has been too much since Monday as you can see.

    “Government should have waited till the completion of this BRT corridor; we are not finding it easy at all. Traffic has been bad since Monday, a lot of productive hours are spent looking for buses and in gridlock,” Alade said.

    Mr Kayode Sunday, who resides at Ayobo and work at Costain, urged government to increase the number of BRT buses on the corridor to bring succour to the people.

    Sunday, who decried the fare hike by commercial bus operators, said that he had queued for close to an hour for BRT bus at Iyana-Dopemu area and still waiting.

    He urged the government to checkmate the excesses and over zealousness of some security agents, alleging that they were arresting motorcycles and tricycles even in the streets at Ayobo area.

    Mr Adekunle Adebowale, a private school teacher, said that the ban had worsened the plight of people living around Iyana-Ipaja, hence the need for more buses on the corridor.

    Adebowale, who noted that Alimosho area was densely populated, said that residents had challenges with commuting before the ban of Okada.

    He urged government to look at the area and increase the BRT buses deployed to ameliorate the suffering.

    Mr Andrew Omoniyi, a student, urged the government to ensure speedy completion of the Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT lane.

    In spite of the restriction, there has been gridlock on the corridor since Monday.

    The usual gridlock at Iyana-Ipaja, Iyana-Dopemu, Cement, Ile Zik, Ikeja Along, Bolade Oshodi, Under Bridge and other places persisted in spite of the restriction of operations of `Okada’ and `Keke’.

    The corridor was devoid of operations of motorcycles and tricycles from Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi.

    Security operatives comprising the Police, Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) and officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were on ground at various sections of the corridor on the lookout for violators.

    Commuters at Kola, Abule Egba, Iyana-Ipaja, Iyana-Dopemu bus stops, struggled to get vehicles to convey them to their destinations on the third working day after the restriction. (NAN)

  • Lagos commuters reject proposed hike in BRT fares

    Lagos commuters reject proposed hike in BRT fares

    Some commuters in Lagos State on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the proposed increase of fares by the Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in the state.

    The BRT operator on Tuesday revealed its intention for an upward review of transport fares across all routes in the state to meet up with current realities.

    The Managing Director of the firm, Mr Fola Tinubu, had told NAN that the current fares were grossly inadequate if the firm was to provide better services for the people.

    According to him, cost of operating the buses have increased so much that the firm is finding it difficult to survive and sustain operations.

    In their reactions, commuters however told NAN in separate interviews that it was the height of insensitivity on the part of government to think of profit making from poor masses.

    They criticised the decision to increase fares, saying that it will affect so many people who because of their pockets always wait for long time on queue to use the buses.

    Mrs Bose Ogbonne, an online marketer, said: “It does not make sense at all. People use BRT because it is cheap. We wait for long, queuing up for buses to arrive also.

    “So, if there is no significant difference between the BRT and commercial buses’ fare, we will not wait for them again.

    “If we are in a hurry, instead of waiting for BRT and even preferring standing, that will not happen again. They (BRT operators) should think well before doing so.”

    Ogbonne, who spoke to NAN at Costain in BRT bus stop, urged the state government to intervene quickly so as not to increase the hardship of the poor masses resident in Lagos.

    Another commuter, who simply identified herself as Mummy Sadiq said that it was not fair to increase electricity tariff, transport fares and others just because workers’ salaries were increased.

    “Government should think of alleviating suffering of the people rather than add to their burdens. This is another hardship coming up to people when electricity tariffs is increased and transport fares jump up.

    “Why the increase in fares now? It is because of the minimum wage given to workers? People should not be stressed beyond normal again. There is hardship in the land already,” she said.

    A student, Mr Michael Ajayi said that the government should not allow such proposed increase in BRT fares to scale through in the interest of the masses.

    Michael, who also spoke at Costain BRT bus stop, said: “Why do they want to increase the fares now. This is not good. It will affect us. It will affect our pockets.”

    Miss Janet Daniel, a teacher, added that since government had failed to alleviate the poverty, it should not compound the hardship with the fare increase.

    A cleric, Mr Olanrewaju Dunmiju said that those in position of authority should also think of the people and their welfare.

    Dunmiju said: “I know this proposed increase if hatched finally, is going to affect a lot of people because BRT is the last hope for so many poor masses.

    “Some people cannot afford other commercial bushes, that is why you see them queuing up even in the sun to use BRT.

    “I will advise the government to think over this and support the operators if they are finding it difficult to operate with the current fares.” (NAN)