Lagos to roll out 600 commuter buses in August – Sanwo-Olu

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the government would roll out 600 buses in August to ply various routes, including Ikorodu, Abule Egba-Oshodi, and Ikeja.

Mr Sanwo-Olu spoke on Saturday while on an inspection of the Third Mainland Bridge and alternative routes rehabilitated by the state government.

“We are rolling out 600 buses in high and medium capacity. The buses will be deployed next month and they will be seen across busy roads.

“The medium capacity buses will be plying Obafemi Awolowo Way. Oshodi inward Abule Egba will be priority. We will also be increasing bus capacity from Ikorodu to Tafawa Balewa Square.”

The governor also toured various highways where junctions and roundabouts have been redesigned to diffuse traffic, including Allen Junction, Maryland Junction, and Lekki’s first and second roundabouts, among others.

On the maintenance works on the Third Mainland Bridge, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the bridge’s repair was long overdue and could no longer be postponed as it would portend danger to the residents. He urged motorists to be patient and cooperate with traffic management personnel deployed on the routes, while assuring that the Government would ensure speedy work on the bridge.

“I am here to supervise the repair activities and to monitor the effect of the closure of the bridge on the vehicular movement, with the aim to enable us focus on where improvement could be made,” the governor said.

“However, what we need to communicate to the road users is patience. Our traffic management officers are on ground to make their journey hitch-free.

“The contractor handling the repair work will be fully on site by Monday. In the next three months, repair work would have been completed on the first lane, while they will move to the other lane.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (right); General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Olajide Oduyoye (second left) and others during the Governor’s inspection of the traffic situation due to the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

“While we urge road users for patience, we also advise them to look at the option of waterways transportation in commuting to and from the Island. We have just opened the Ilaje jetty for public use and we are delivering additional six jetties across the State to ease movement.”

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (right); addressing journalists during his inspection of the traffic situation due to the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

While inspecting the newly designed Allen Junction on Obafemi Awolowo Way, the governor said he was satisfied with the project, expressing optimism that the new layout would relieve the highway of gridlock.

L-R: Project Manager, Planet Project, Engr. Sanni Ismaheel; Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye, during an inspection of the Lekki roundabout removal, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

The governor also used the opportunity to explain the slow pace of work on some ongoing capital projects, including the Pen Cinema Bridge in Agege, which, he said, was disrupted by Coronavirus pandemic.

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu; Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye and Chairman, Lagos Inter-Agency Monitoring and Enforcement Coordination Committee, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, during an inspection in Surulere on unlawful removal of Manholes, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

The Pen Cinema Bridge, he said, would now be delivered in October.

Mr Sanwo-Olu was accompanied on the tour by some cabinet members, including the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; his Transportation counterpart, Fredric Oladehinde; Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye; and Special Adviser on Transport, Toyin Fayinka.

R-L: Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye and Chairman, Lagos Inter-Agency Monitoring and Enforcement Coordination Committee, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, during an inspection in Surulere on unlawful removal of Manholes, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

Mr Sanwo-Olu also inspected drainage at Eric Moore Road, Eko Bridge and Lekki-Epe Expressway.

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, during an inspection of the Allen junction regeneration and Roundabout removal, Ikeja, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Consultant/ Supervisor, Engr. Iwayemi Olalekan, Special Adviser on Transportation, Mr. Toyin Fayinka and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, during an inspection of the Allen junction regeneration and Roundabout removal, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.