Ban: Commuters in Iyana-Ipaja-Ikeja axis beg for more BRT buses

Some commuters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Iyana-Ipaja and Iyana-Dopemu on Wednesday that the restriction of motorcycles in the area had brought them hardship.

According to them, the development has also increased gridlock along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway rather than reduce it, with many resorting to trekking long distances.

A correspondent of NAN, who monitored the area in the morning, observed scores of commuters at Iyana-Ipaja and Iyana-Dopemu waiting to board vehicles to their destinations.

NAN also noticed a long queue of commuters at Iyana-Dopemu waiting for BRT buses of the Lagos Bus Service Limited (LBSL).

An Engineer, Mr Ayo Alade, told NAN that the only way of relieving the plight of commuters in the area was speedy completion of Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT corridors and deployment of more buses to the area.

“Tell Sanwo-Olu that those of us living at Iyana-Ipaja were suffering even before the ban of Okada on this road. Now that Okada has been banned, the suffering has been too much since Monday as you can see.

“Government should have waited till the completion of this BRT corridor; we are not finding it easy at all. Traffic has been bad since Monday, a lot of productive hours are spent looking for buses and in gridlock,” Alade said.

Mr Kayode Sunday, who resides at Ayobo and work at Costain, urged government to increase the number of BRT buses on the corridor to bring succour to the people.

Sunday, who decried the fare hike by commercial bus operators, said that he had queued for close to an hour for BRT bus at Iyana-Dopemu area and still waiting.

He urged the government to checkmate the excesses and over zealousness of some security agents, alleging that they were arresting motorcycles and tricycles even in the streets at Ayobo area.

Mr Adekunle Adebowale, a private school teacher, said that the ban had worsened the plight of people living around Iyana-Ipaja, hence the need for more buses on the corridor.

Adebowale, who noted that Alimosho area was densely populated, said that residents had challenges with commuting before the ban of Okada.

He urged government to look at the area and increase the BRT buses deployed to ameliorate the suffering.

Mr Andrew Omoniyi, a student, urged the government to ensure speedy completion of the Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT lane.

NAN reports that in spite of the restriction, there has been gridlock on the corridor since Monday.

The usual gridlock at Iyana-Ipaja, Iyana-Dopemu, Cement, Ile Zik, Ikeja Along, Bolade Oshodi, Under Bridge and other places persisted in spite of the restriction of operations of `Okada’ and `Keke’.

The corridor was devoid of operations of motorcycles and tricycles from Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi.

Security operatives comprising the Police, Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) and officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were on ground at various sections of the corridor on the lookout for violators.

Commuters at Kola, Abule Egba, Iyana-Ipaja, Iyana-Dopemu bus stops, struggled to get vehicles to convey them to their destinations on the third working day after the restriction.