New BRT route brings relief to commuters

The bus service reform of the Lagos State Government is gradually taking shape with the commissioning of the OshodiAbule-Egba BRT corridor last week.

The Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) scheme which was the initiative of the Babatunde Fashola administration as Governor in Lagos State has been a success story in revolutionizing public transportation on the Ikorodu-TBS corridor. It has eased woes of Lagos residents and even encouraged many people to patronize public transport.

The recently commissioned OshodiAbule Egba has opened a new vista of relief for the suffering commuters of Lagos.

The immediate past government of Akinwunmi Ambode constructed the Oshodi interchange, which was replicated across the state with the main terminal in Ikeja commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in May last year.

The Oshodi interchange has three terminals with terminal one serving the inter-city segment; two for the BRT lane from Abule Egba to Oshodi and other destinations like Mile 2, Okoko Maiko and the likes while terminal three would serve Lagos Island Ikorodu-Ojota axis.

The 13.65 km Oshodi-Abule Egba corridor flagged off recently is an extract of the Maryland/Oshodi-Otta BRT corridor part of the Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP). There are 14 stations with nine being single median stations (from Ile-Zik to Abule Egba) and five others from Ile-Oshodi.

The new route would service 60,000 to 80,000 Lagosians daily, according to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu while reducing travel times from three hours to about 35 minutes. Its booking has also been automated.

Commuters urged the government to drop the fare from N300 to N200 to increase patronage.