Emeka Ibemere
Ask Lagos
State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), officials and their counterparts on
the airwave- Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1fm about the traffic situation in the last
one week, starting from December 25, 2014 to January 4, 2015, you would be surprise that the usual: “Ijesha
inward Iyana Itire is okay; Otun Oba inward Lawason is heavy, Obele inward Lawason
is heavy, Pako inward otun Oba is heavy, Aguda inward NEPA in and out are
heavy, Census inward Babs Animashaun is slightly heavy as Bode Thomas inwards
Babs Animashaun is slightly heavy, other locations within the axis are okay”,
voices disappeared from the airwave during the yuletide. Why?
Lagos State went into slumber because; the city
was empty following the Christmas and New Year public holidays which took Lagos
State residents away from Lagos State and its environs.
And within those holiday periods, the roads
were empty as there was no major traffic chaos experienced on the major roads
in Lagos State. But today, that honey moon is over with the full return of
workers and residents after the Christmas and the New Year breaks.
The signs
were noticed on Monday 5, 2015, when pockets of traffic jam were witnessed in
the major cities and towns of Lagos State following the return of workers on
the first working day of the year ending the public holidays declared by the
Federal government.
As earlier
as evening of January Sunday 4, motor parks in Lagos State were extremely busy
with the Xmas returnees who gathered at the parks to take the next available
cab and buses to their residents clutching their bags and luggage.
Ojota
–Berger axis of Lagos witnessed horrendous traffic jam which lasted as long as
10pm on Sunday saw the Ojota and Ojodu Berger Parks, two of the busiest entry
route to Lagos State played hosts to number of commercial buses and private
cars onward to other locations of the state while Orile onward to Mile2, to
Okokomiako and Alaba International, Ojo, also experienced that slow- vehicular movement. Isolo to Ikotun Ejigbo axis was
also heavy on Sunday and Monday 5th, the first working day of the
year.
The return of the traffic jam in the state has
also hiked intra-transport fares which went down by 10% following the scanty
motor users and commuters within the state. As at the festival periods,
transport fares slumped at all time low, due to the fact that most people
traveled and those around couldn’t make much distance journey.
Many stayed indoors and celebrated the event with
their families coupled with the public holidays enjoyed by workers. Ikotun to
Oshodi that was as high as N200, was charged N150, while Ikotun to Cele Express
of the popular Apapa-Mile 2 that was charged N200, was reduced to N100 and
N150.
Ikotun to CMS charged as high as N450 during
peak hours of the working week, was slashed to N300. But with the return of the
Christmas holiday makers back to Lagos State, all have changed and the normal
fares have climbed to the rooftop.
Meanwhile the usual heavy traffic witnessed on
the Ajao Estate BY Pass to Ejigbo and NNPC axis has also returned while Agege
Motor road to Iyana Ipaja, especially Dopemu under bridge has started
witnessing traffic unlike the Christmas-break. Inside Ikeja to Alausa has also
in the last few days seen the return of the traffic chaos in the area. And if
you have used the Third-Mainland Bridge during the Yuletide season, you would
agree with our correspondent that the hold-up at the bridge on daily basis
during working hours wasn’t the making of the bridge but because of overcrowded
users of the link-bridge. It was as free as everything you can think of; but
with the resumption of workers and the ended public and yuletide periods, the
bridge has started its tight-traffic chaos. During the festive period, from
CMS, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and its environs takes 10 to 15 minutes to connect
Mainland. But with the return of the traffic, motorists have started spending 2
to 3 hours to connect to the Mainland.
“The holidays are over and a lot of people are
entering into Lagos at the same time with their vehicles and some of these cars
are in bad shape after being over used there and on getting to Lagos, some of
them started developing fault. Some of the owners didn’t work on them before
coming back with them and on strategic places would break down and cause
traffic”. A LASTMA official who refused to disclose his name because he was not
supposed to talk to journalist because of his rank, explained.
“It is expected and we are ready to make sure
that things go well as people returned back to resume work. We know that this
Monday was going to mark the serious return of traffic back to Lagos, so it’s
expected.”
Jide
Michael, a resident of Ajao Estate told our correspondent that they enjoyed
free ride during the festive period as there was no traffic during the time.
According to him, during the festive period, there was less vehicles on the
road because people traveled out of Lagos State. He said the Estate has started
witnessing much traffic since last Monday 5, when workers resumed duties. Musa
Inuwa, a commercial motorcycle operator from Ikotun to Cele bustop, also
confirmed the busy traffic situations in Lagos with the return of the workers
and said the normal stress of the Lagos State roads would commence again.
Magnus Okechuku, a transporter who plies his trade along Apapa-Oshodi
Expressway had a different opinion on the scenario. Okechuku seems to be
enjoying the traffic for according to him, it’s during that period that they
hike fares and make their money.
So
he is praying for the return of the traffic, so that he would hike fares to
make huge profit. As it are, intra-transport fares seems to have gradually gone
up with anticipation that heavy traffic which would be witnessed today, Monday
12 may signal the final return of the notorious hold-ups in Lagos State.
Welcome to Lagos! Eko ONI BajeNBNB: MADAM LET HIM SOURCE PIC
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