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| Model for the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway/Agege Motor road Ligh rail project |
If the revelation by Prince Olanrewaju
Elegushi, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is anything to go by,
the people of Agege, Egbeda, Agbado, Oshodi, Mushin, Surulere and other axis
may have every reason to be joyful from 2016. Reason: Elegushi has disclosed
that beginning from the last quarter of this year, Lagos State Government will
commence construction of BRT corridors along Agege Motor Road/Lagos-Abeokuta
Express Way.
Elegushi who was a
guest on the Yoruba section of Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1 fm last Thursday,
January 7, 2016 said the next BRT corridors after the completion of the multi
lanes and light train project on Lagos-Badagry Expressway will be the
Agege-Motor Road/Lagos-Abeokuta Express way axis. He assured that the
Lagos-Badagry project known as “the Blue Line will be completed by December
this year.”
While responding to
questions from callers who wanted BRT corridors for Agege Motor Road/ Lagos
Abeokuta Express Way axis, Elegushi stated that “construction for Red Light
rail is to commence in December 2016 along Agbado Ijaye through Abule Egba Ikeja
and Oshodi.”
Elegushi who also spoke on the enforcement of travel time for trailers and long
trucks disclosed that arrangement are ongoing to enforce truck movement hours
as "we are preparing space for waiting at port." He assured that “enforcement
is to begin in February.”
On the Red Line rail
and BRT corridors for Agege Motor Road/ Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, it was
reported over eight years ago that the same
axis was the first choice for the project before Lagos State Government and
World Bank settled for Lagos-Badagry Express Way. Sources had disclosed then
that the World Bank could not cough out so much compensation to the volume of
people that the project will affect, hence the need to move it to an axis where
there was wider right of way.
The Blue Line and
Red Line are just two of the nine Lines that Lagos State Government is planning
for the entire state.
Under Lagos
Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA),
created by a State Act (LAMATA Law) signed into law on January 13, 2002 by the
then Governor of the State, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the
light rails projects were designed to transform Lagos into megacity.
The Authority has the overall responsibility
for transport planning and coordination in the Lagos metropolitan area with the
primary mandate to play a lead role in carrying out transport planning, assist
in transport policy formulation, coordination of major operational and
investment decisions and implementation.
The law grants LAMATA several powers to
facilitate the discharge of its statutory functions, including the power to
levy and collect user charges in connection with the provision of its services
and to collect any other tariffs, fees and road taxes as may be authorized by
the Governor.
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| Ongoing light rail project along Lagos-Badagry Expressway. |
During the regime of Babatunde Raji Fashola,
the law establishing LAMATA was strengthened further in 2007 to include
planning and regulatory functions across the various modes of transport. Under
the amended LAMATA Act 2007, the Authority is empowered by law with
responsibilities to carry out the following key functions in Lagos metropolitan
area;
- Coordinate transport policies, programs and actions of
all agencies
- Maintain and manage the Declared Road Network (DRN),
mainly bus public transport routes of about 632km;
- Plan, coordinate, manage and develop the supply of
adequate and effective transportation;
- Recommend on route planning and general location of bus
shelters, pedestrian ways and bridges,
- Collect and levy transport road user charges and
establish a Transport Fund (TF) as a user reform financing mechanism to
increase the low level of cost recovery in the transport sector, and to
sustain the performance of LAMATA;
- Collect 50% of net Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA)
revenue (specific items) to be paid directly into the TF
- Regulate Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along prioritised
corridors
- Coordinate activities of the State Licensing Authority
and all vehicle inspection units;
- Make policy recommendations on public transportation to
the Governor, including mechanisms for implementation;
- Prepare plans for the development and management of an
integrated multimode public transport system
The organisation's successful performance of
these functions will assist in poverty alleviation by increasing economic
efficiency through lower transport costs and prices, and enhancement of
employment and social opportunities.
