Lagos moves to restructure unregulated public transport bus operators

The Lagos State Government has released a restructuring plan, tagged ‘Bus Reform Initiative’, to improve commuting experience in the state.

It called for the collaboration of public transport bus operators to ensure its success.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, made the disclosure during a meeting between the Ministry of Transportation, Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) and bus operators on Thursday.

He said the Bus Reform Initiative programme was aimed at systematically restructuring the existing public transport operations in the state.

Mr Giwa noted that the move was in line with the Strategic Transportation Master Plan for the state, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

He described the current state of bus operations as chaotic, hence the need for collaboration to successfully regulate and integrate the informal transport sector into the state’s Bus Reform Initiative.

Using the Lekki/Epe corridor as a pilot test, he explained that the corridor had been inspected by the Ministry of Transportation and LAMATA to identify limitations of seamless traffic flow 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 re-allocation and relocation of Korope/Minibuses to the inner route, re-registration and recertification of all buses.

“Others are the introduction of e-ticketing system, provision of transport infrastructure, regulation and standardisation of bus operations, improvement of transportation services and promotion of security of lives and properties along the Lekki-Epe corridor,” he said.

Mr Giwa disclosed that the restructuring plan would be implemented in phases, urging transport operators who intend to key into the programme to come to the Ministry of Transportation to register within 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 warned that any operator who contravenes the regulations would be fined and would forfeit their vehicles in the event that they ignore the notice of their fines.

On concerns raised by members of the unions, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olawale Musa, explained that the government was counting on them to fish out unregistered operators along the Lekki-Epe corridor.

(NAN)