Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has approved 20 to 50 per cent fare increase
for BRT, LAGBUS and other franchise buses, with effect from March 1, 2017.
At a news
conference on Monday at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, the
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos Metropolitan Area
Transport Authority, Abiodun Dabiri, said the increase was necessitated by the
economic downturn in the country which had affected the transport sector
drastically.
He said, “As
a result of the economic downturn, public transport has been severely impacted
as all related costs have escalated beyond any financial projection.
“Although
the government is focused on a strategic reform of the public transport
operations to create a world-class public transport that is modern,
cost-effective and safe, the government has to consider the request of the
operators for an upward review of bus fares due to the current prices for some
of these schemes, which have stayed constant for more than six years.
“The current
financial crunch has seen average cost of operations increase to about 110 per
cent. With the cost of fuelling going up by 71 per cent, oil prices up by 64
per cent, tyre by 90 per cent, continued operations are threatened.
“In order to
avert a collapse of the scheme, which currently serves over 500,000 commuters
daily, the Lagos State Government has to consider the request of the operators
for an upward review of bus fares.
Consequently, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has approved a fare increase for
the operators effective from Wednesday, March 1, 2017. The average increase
approved ranges from 20 per cent to 50 per cent on different routes.”
Dabiri
explained that in approving the fare increase, government weighed the
justification of the operators for the increase vis-a-vis the effect on the
commuters.
He noted
that the government recognised the financial difficulties currently endured by
Lagosians and assured public transport users of government’s commitment to
protecting them from arbitrary increase.
The fare
increase differs in various routes. For instance, a ride on BRT from Ikorodu to
CMS, which cost N195 is now N300, while a trip from Ikorodu to Mile 12, which
used to cost N75 has moved to N100.
Transport
from Ikotun to Iyana Ipaja, which cost N50, has moved up to N100 while Ikotun
to Ikeja has moved up from N100 to N200. Igando to Maryland is now N150 from
the former N100, while the fare from Dopemu to Ikeja/Maryland has moved up from
N150 to N200, among others.
*Punch*
0 Comments