Lagos unveils another multiple Lay-by to decongest traffic

Anofiu Elegushi

Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government has unveiled another multiple lay-by at Car Wash bus stop, Iyana-Oworonshoki area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria to decongest traffic in the axis.

The new lay-by will ensure free-flow of traffic from Ogudu inward Third Mainland Bridge and to the Island while the usual traffic gridlock in the area would be mitigated.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi unveiled the new lay-by on Monday, warning drivers’ unions not to abuse the facility.

He described the construction of lay-by in the traffic-prone areas as ‎strategic approach of the current administration to solving the recurring traffic gridlock in the state, especially along the Third Mainland Bridge axis.

Elegushi said that the Ambode-led administration remained committed to driving the state’s economy through efficient transportation, saying ‎that it would continue to improve on infrastructure that would ease transportation for residents.

The Special Adviser said the construction of the lay-by had so far created orderliness in the state’s transportation system, as government had also provided other road infrastructures which were to holistically address traffic on the route.

He added that he lay-by had the capacity to accommodate 20 buses simultaneously and had other features such as perimeter fences, perimeter height, Teflon ‎bus shelter, among others.

“Transportation as we all know‎ is regarded as the life wire of every economy and the oil that runs the wheel of every business. The volume of goods and service that are exchanged per time, the ease and speed at which it is done translate into a value chain of productivity, employment, wealth creation and prosperity.

“The position of Lagos today as the foremost economic industrial, commercial‎ and urban cosmopolitan in West cannot be over emphasized,” he said.

He cautioned that the lay-by should not be used as loading bays by commercial drivers, adding that the state government would set up a committee to monitor the facility with a view to ensuring that they were not converted to mechanic villages and other illegal activities.

“I implore you to cooperate and support the state government in ensuring that this infrastructure and others that have been provided are properly made use of in order to ensure that sanity reigns on our roads. The facility is neither meant to be used as loading bays, nor for union activities, mechanic garage for repair of broken vehicles, and other such illegal activities,” he said.

The special adviser said that the construction of the lay-by had reduced travel time along the axis from one and half hours to 15 minutes as commuters now spend few minutes from Oworoshoki to Obalende.