Molue ban: LAMATA, BRT operator boosts fleet with 50 buses on Island route

THE Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority LAMATA, in collaboration with the operator of Bus Rapid Transit BRT, has launched 50 new buses to beef up the existing fleet along Mile 12 to CMS route, in its bid to improve commuting and service delivery along the corridor.
It will be recalled that Lagos State government, recently banned operators of 911 commercial buses, popular called “Molue” from plying Lagos Island and the three bridges linking mainland to the Island, citing safety of lives as major reason among other factors with assurance to inject more BRT buses to cushion the effect of the banned 911 commercial yellow buses.
According to Managing Director of LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the operator of the BRT system, First BRT Cooperative, had ordered 50 new buses, 40 of which had arrived and been deployed into operation, as part of a holistic plan at returning the BRT operations and experience to its once efficient and effective state at launch in 2008.
He said the remaining 10 buses were expected to be delivered before the end of the year, stressing, ”Besides the addition of the new buses, the operator has commenced refurbishment of 100 serviceable buses, 22 of which are already deployed for commuting services.”
Mobereola said the acquisition of the buses was in fulfilment of the agreement reached between government and the operator with a view to improving the BRT operations and return bus services along the Mile 12 to CMS corridor to the vision of a world class transport system for Lagos.
He said, ”Government would continue to support initiatives that would give succour to the commuting public by alleviating their transport needs.”
The LAMATA boss said the government was working on other transport projects, “especially the Blue Line (Okokomaiko to Marina) rail project, the first phase of which is expected to be completed soon, the Red line rail line (Agbado to Marina) and extension of the BRT to Ikorodu Town.”
He said that guarantee the longevity of the buses, the authority was currently rehabilitating the Mile 12 to CMS BRT corridor, adding that the BRT lanes would eventually be turned to rigid (concrete) pavement to withstand the weight of the BRT buses.
Mobereola assured that with the reforms already put in place, the BRT operation would soon return to what commuters used to experience at the launch of the Mile 12 to CMS BRT route.

vanguard