By Justina Njoku
The Lagos State Bus Services Limited has deployed additional 65 buses on Lagos roads to cushion the effect of transportation hardship experienced by Lagos residents following the ban on motorcycle and tricycle in the state. The ban took effect on February 1, 2020. Lagos State have since the administration of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu (now National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress – APC) introduced partial or permanent ban on the menace of that sector of the transport sector.
Managing Director, Lagos State Bus Services Limited, Idowu Oguntona, told reporters the deployment is in addition to already existing buses on the roads. He said the addition is to ease current pressure being experienced on the roads occasioned by the ban on commercial motorcycles and tricycles on major highways and bridges.
He said, “What we noticed from when we deployed the buses in the morning, it really helped people to move around; we’ve been able to record about 10,000 in terms of ridership just within the morning period and from our projection, this 65 buses will be able to carry 35,000 people on a daily basis when the situation becomes fully stabilized.”
Meanwhile, reports have it that at least three persons were feared killed while many sustained various degrees of injuries when suspected commercial motorcycle operators and those belonging to tricycles association took to the streets on Monday morning to protest the ban on their activities in so parts of Lagos State.
The State Government had last Tuesday outlawed the operations of commercial motorcycles riders also know as Okada as well as tricycle operators also known as Keke Marwa in six local government areas of the state. The enforcement of the ban started on Saturday, February 1, 2020. At the end of the day, the police said about 40 violators were arrested while about 188 motorcycles and 78 keke Marwa were impounded.
