Governor's approach gets Lagos off world’s worst 15 cities with traffic issues

For years, Lagos state, Africa’s largest mega-city, has been regarded as one of the worst places in the world when it comes to traffic congestion.

However, a new report from the World Traffic Index 2017 is saying otherwise, PM News Nigeria reports.

According to the report, Lagos is no longer a part of the world’s worst cities with traffic issues.

Thus, the Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, has commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for this new development.

He praised the governor for holding the 2015 traffic summit, saying that "the summit has indeed provided insight into the root causes of the state’s traffic congestion.”

The commissioner also appreciated Ambode for introducing lay-bys and slip roads“to knotty areas; removed roundabouts along Lekki Epe expressway and replaced them with signalised lights.”

ALSO READ: Adams Oshiomhole says Lagos governor has greatly reduced traffic

In the report, there was 15% increase in traffic congestion between 2015 and 2016 in Africa; North America had 5%, Europe, 9%, Asia & Oceania, 12% while South America had 7%.

According to the survey, the top five most congested cities in the world are Mexico City in Mexico, Bangkok in Thailand with 61% in extra travel time, Jakarta in Indonesia with 58%, Chongqing in China with 52% and Bucharest in Romania with 50%.

In Mexico city, drivers spend 66% extra travel time in traffic during the day and up to 101% in the evening.

Other cities with terrible traffic issues are Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, 47%, Beijing in China, 46%, Los Angeles in the US, 45%, Moscow in Russia, 44%, Santiago in Chile, 43%, Buenos Aires in Brazil, 42%,St. Petersburg in Russia, 41%, 40% in both Salvador in El Salvador and London in the UK.

The survey for the traffic congestion report, issued by TomTom, a global leader in traffic management, navigation and mapping products, was carried out in 360 cities, across 48 countries.

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