Lagos govt unveils 500 shuttle buses for intra-city transportation

Lagos State government on Tuesday unveiled 500 mini-buses to ensure efficient intra-city transportation in the state.

The government unveiled the shuttle buses in the first phase of the First and Last Mile (FLM) Scheme in which 5,000 mini-buses will be deployed to boost transportation system in the state.

In his address at the ceremony held in Ikeja, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the buses would address the challenges between the main transit corridors and the hearts of the communities where the majority of people reside.

He said the scheme was an important milestone in the state’s intermodal transport system and gives the people the choices they deserved.

The governor said: “The full implementation of a safer and more efficient alternative transport solution that takes out the need for Okadas and replaces them with the FLM buses will curb the incidence of Okada-related crimes and robberies.

“We will continue to monitor and assess the situation over the next one to two months and will tweak our response appropriately to ensure that ultimately, we are winning the war against crime and criminality associated with Okadas.

“If we do not see any improvement, we will have no choice but to go for a full and complete ban on Okada activities in the state.

READ ALSO: Lagos set to replace yellow buses with blue ones

“We are very much aware of the role transportation plays in the development of any economy. Indeed, it is the backbone of any thriving economy.

”Over the last two years, we have taken steps to birth and bequeath to Lagos State enduring transport infrastructure and systems which future generations would be proud of.

“Our Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) is an ambitious road transportation effort that encompasses a number of transport projects, including the construction of bus terminals and interchanges.”

Sanwo-Olu said in a bid to ensure the successful operation of the scheme, the government had recognised the roles of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) as major stakeholders in the entire Bus Reform Initiative.

He appealed to the operators of the FLM Bus Scheme to play according to the rules as maximum penalty would be imposed for violation of existing agreements and extant Road Traffic Laws.

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