The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, flagged off the Oshodi-Abule Egba Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor, with a call to residents to take full responsibility of the infrastructure in the interest of the public.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also unveiled 560 high and medium capacity buses that will be plying the route in the pilot phase of the scheme.
Sanwo-Olu, addressing the public and media at a brief ceremony to kick off the corridor, held at Dopemu, along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, expressed satisfaction at the eventual completion and launch of the BRT corridor, blaming the delay of the take-off, which was originally slated for May 29, 2020, to the outbreak of coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
He said:
A little over a year ago, we pledged to significantly improve traffic management and transportation system which is the very first of our six-point development agenda encapsulated as T-H-E-M-E-S. This administration made the pledge knowing that you, our people, are the main reason we have been entrusted with the management of your commonwealth.
Although our promise was to deliver this project in May this year, it had to be shifted forward due to the disruption brought about by COVID-19.
This project is very significant because of its immense benefits to Lagosians in the different communities This new BRT corridor will bring great relief to 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 about 30 minutes.
This will translate to improved health of our people, a safer environment, and increased value of socio-economic activities in our state.
I am also delighted to inform you of our efforts to secure the release of about 550 high and medium capacity buses which had been in the bonded warehouse to increase the stock of regulated buses in our state.
We will be deploying 100,000 free tickets (cards) to commuters who turn up at the bus station.
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Sanwo-Olu said the buses would be gradually deployed on the primary transport corridors in the state for ease of commuting of people, saying:
I use this opportunity to thank our President Muhammadu Buhari for his kind intervention, which facilitated the clearing of some of the high capacity buses that would be deployed on this corridor.
Our administration is very passionate about easing the movement of the citizenry around this beautiful State which is why we would not stop at ensuring that we give you a transport system that works for you.
This project is yours, own it, and protect it. If you see something inimical to the infrastructure or operations of the bus system, please say something.
In order to deliver the excellent service promised, we have signed on three operators on this new corridor. They are commencing operations with brand new buses with an electronic fare collection system. What this means is that the era of ‘no change’ is over.
