Lagos govt announces date for Red Line to begin full passenger operations

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) says that full passenger operations on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line will begin on October 15. The Managing Director of LAMATA, Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, confirmed this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos State. The statement was signed by the Head Corporate Communication, LAMATA, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi.

Akinajo said Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu would lead his executive council members and other dignitaries on the passenger operations launch and ride with commuters on the first fee-paying passenger trip. The LAMATA boss said that the train services would commence daily from Agbado at 6.00 a.m.

“Consequently, the schedule for the train service has been adjusted with passenger movement commencing from 6.00 a.m. from Agbado. Before now, trips have emanated from Oyingbo at 9.00 a.m. The first train therefore got to Agbado at 10.07a.m. The adjusted timetable foreshadows upcoming commercial passenger operations commencing on October 15,” she said.

She explained that the new timetable was the outcome of data gathered through the series of tests, including the non-fee-paying passengers. According to her, the new timetable gives priority to the origin trips from Agbado where riders live and work at Ikeja, Oshodi, and Lagos Island. She noted that for passengers whose journeys terminate on Lagos Island, buses would be available at Oyingbo bus terminal for them to complete their journeys.

It would be recalled that infrastructure for the Red Line was inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu on February 29. The Red Line’s first phase spanning 27 kilometres has eight stations at Oyingbo, Yaba, Mushin, Oshodi, Ikeja, Agege, lju and Agbado.

Lagos signs MoU for Green Line mass transit

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Green Line Rail Mass Transit Project expected to span the expanse of the Lekki corridor. The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

Osiyemi was responding to the questions raised by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation led by Mr Temitope Adewale, the Chairman, during a courtesy visit of the committee to the ministry.

He said the addition of the Green Line to the existent Blue Line which had transported over two million passengers since inception and Red Line which would convey 750,000 passengers daily at its kick off. This, he said,  would significantly improve commuting within the state. He added that the plan for the second phase of the Blue Line, Mile 2 to Okokomaiko was underway.

“The ministry is currently working on creating two interchanges to ensure the interconnectivity of the modes especially in areas where all of the available modes exist (road, water and rail). The interconnectivity of the modes was deliberate to ensure that there is no lacuna in the implementations of these plans,” he said.

On the areas of concern raised about the Lekki-Epe corridor and the impact of the refinery along the axis, the commissioner elaborated on the modality of the e-call up system. He explained that seven trailer parks would be available to prevent trucks from loitering on the corridor.

Osiyemi added that there would be a radio frequency identification to ensure compliance to the e-call up system as it would expose any truck not scheduled to be at the port or parks. He said plans were underway to move  containers via water on barges in 10’s to further reduce the congestion on the corridor.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Olawale Musa, described lack of data the number one hindrance to fully digitise enforcement. Musa decried that many motorists, especially commercial vehicles submit incorrect data to the government due to the use of agents to procure vital vehicular and driver documentation hence the continued use of physical enforcement.

He further stated that the ministry had prioritised training of its enforcement and traffic management officers to provide sanity on Lagos roads. Musa, however, applauded the ministry for living up to its responsibility as the first on the T.H.E.M.E.S + Agenda. He enjoined the ministry to provide a project status report to enable the assembly monitor and stay abreast of the plans of the ministry.