The Lagos State Government has commenced the enforcement of the state Road Traffic Law relating to obstruction of traffic on major roads in the state.
The state Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences subsequently arrested some drivers and impounded no fewer than 16 commercial buses for obstructing traffic by picking passengers on road sides.
The task force officials arrested 12 commercial buses in Oshodi and four in Obalende.
Task force Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman, said on Friday that the drivers were picking passengers by the road side instead of designated bus stops and motor parks.
He said, “It is time motorists, especially commercial bus operators in Oshodi, Obalende and Mushin knew that it is not going to be business as usual.
“If they pick up passengers by road sides, the task force will get them.”
Sulaiman said commercial bus operators in the state were fond of picking passengers in prohibited places rather than approved bus stops and motor parks.
He added that apart from the enforcement, the government was also intensifying its awareness campaigns for passengers not to board buses by road side, except at bus stops and motor parks.
He said, “Lagosians should help government in creating sanity on the roads by using bus stops and motor parks. In the process of picking up passengers by the road sides, commercial buses cause gridlock.
“We have been creating awareness among passengers not to stand by road side to wait for motorists. Apart from the problems they will cause to movement of vehicles, they can also board one chance (robbers’) vehicle in the process. This act is common in Oshodi, Obalende and Mushin.”
Sulaiman insisted that commercial bus operators must use the service lane on the expressway to pick up and drop off passengers, saying that any commercial bus operator that did otherwise would be arrested.
He said the buses impounded would not be released to their owners until after three months to serve as deterrent to others.
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These bus drivers are particularly notorious by the junction of the road coming from Femi Okunnu Phase 2 besides Mobil filling station, Jakande Round about Lekki. They are in the habit of picking up passengers at the exit leading into the Lekki Expressway rather than the designated bus stop further ahead which is off the road thereby dangerously forcing drivers to make a sharp and direct entrance into the expressway rather than a gradual entrance.
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