As it unveils the restructuring plans to enhance the state’s transportation infrastructure, the Lagos State Government has made an appeal for cooperation from public transport bus operators.
This was stated on Thursday in Lagos during a meeting between the Ministry of Transportation, the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority, and bus operators over the Bus Reform Initiative program, with Sola Giwa, Special Adviser on Transportation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The initiative’s goal is to methodically reorganise Lagos State’s current public transportation infrastructure.
According to Giwa, this is compliant with the state’s Strategic Transportation Master Plan.
He called the way buses are currently operated chaotic, which is why cooperation is essential to effectively regulating and incorporating the unofficial transportation industry into the state’s Bus Reform Initiative.
He explained that the Ministry of Transportation and LAMATA had evaluated the Lekki/Epe corridor as a pilot project to identify obstacles to smooth traffic movement along the expressway and adjourning roads.
“Systematic framework to address these challenges have been mapped out which include deployment of high capacity buses on the corridor as stated in the Lagos Transport Policy and the Bus Route Network.
“Also included is the reallocation and relocation of Korope/mini buses to the inner route, re-registration and re-certification of all buses.
“Others are the introduction of an e-ticketing system, provision of transport infrastructure, regulation and standardisation of bus operations, improved transportation services and the promotion of the security of lives and properties along the Lekki-Epe corridor,” he said.
Giwa announced that the restructuring plan would be carried out gradually and urged transport providers who want to participate in the program to register with the Ministry of Transportation at the latest in the next two weeks.
“Registered operators will be allotted routes by the ministry to ensure strict compliance to the strategy,” he said.
The special adviser issued a warning, saying that anyone who disobeyed the restrictions would be penalised and would lose their cars if they didn’t pay the fees.
In response to queries from union members, Mr. Olawale Musa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, clarified that the government was depending on them to find unregistered operators in the Lekki-Epe corridor.
