Segun James and Vanessa Obiora
The Lagos State Government is set to commence the construction of two more transport interchanges at Mile 2 and Marina, the state Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed.
This is as he said the Intra-City Light Rail Lines would become operational by the fourth quarter of 2022.
The governor, who stated this at the inauguration of 500 first and last Mile 2 Line buses at the Lagos House in Ikeja, said the “interchanges will serve as interconnecting hubs for commuters whose journey require more than one mode of transportation to get to their destinations.”
According to him, “In the last two years, we have taken steps to create and bequeath to the state enduring transport infrastructure and systems, which future generations would be proud of. Our Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) is an ambitious road transportation effort, which encompasses a number of transportation projects, including the construction of bus terminals and interchanges in the state.”
Sanwo-Olu, realising that the transport system is the backbone of any thriving economy, said the transport sector is a very important part of his THEMES initiative, which would ensure that residents have seamless movement, disclosing that there are more bus terminal projects in different stages of completion at Agege, Ojota, Ajah, and the NAHCO area of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja.
He added that closely affiliated to the Bus Reform Initiative of the government “are our robust rail and water transportation projects which are also gathering pace.
“Almost exactly two years ago, we came to office with a promise to Lagosians to deliver a ‘Greater Lagos’. We have worked tirelessly since then to continue to fulfill this promise, through bold and decisive actions firmly anchored on our THEMES developmental agenda. In this regard, we are very much aware of the role transportation plays in the development of any economy.”
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the government is “set to inaugurate six new ferries into our operational fleet, in addition to being at advanced stages in the construction and rehabilitation of 15 jetties across the state. Equally noteworthy is the fact that two of our Intra-City Light Rail Lines will become operational by the fourth quarter of 2022.”
The governor added that the launch of the First and Last Mile (FLM) Bus Scheme is an important milestone in the quest to achieving the intermodal transport system, which would give the people the choices they deserve, reducing congestion and journey times, and improving the quality of life.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that the FLM scheme would be run by private operators who would work with the state government.
The buses launched include 70 high capacity and 30 medium capacity vehicles assembled in the state as part of efforts to ease and ensure pleasurable commuter experiences. Each of the buses has a capacity to move 960 passengers on the average per day.
