Third Mainland Bridge: Motorists hike fares on alternate routes
By Citizens Platform
As the Third Mainland Bridge continues to be partially shut down for the regular maintenance and traffic gridlock hits major alternative routes, commuters have complained about the increase in transport fares.
Commercial drivers plying these roads have taken advantage of the situation and hiked their fares by as much as 25 to 50 percent depending on the routes.
The Obalende – Ketu route which was usually N150, is now N200 or N250 while Obalende to Agege is N300 as against the former N200.
Also, fares from Iyana Oworo to Obalende rose by a full 100 per cent from N100 to N200, while that of Iyana Oworo to Eko-Idumota rose to N250. Commercial motorcycles riders, the “okadamen” were not also left out, as many of them were seen lifting passengers at exhorbitant prices.
The increase in fares has also been attributed to the consumption of more fuel by vehicles plying these routes, as a result of the accompanying traffic gridlock.
A driver, who refused to give his name, told CP that after having spent three hours on the Ikorodu-Yaba route which was a normal twenty-minute journey, he had “burnt so much fuel” that he had no option but to increase bus fares so he could recoup money for the fuel wasted.
As a result, several commuters have had to turn to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to help, since the buses have dedicated lanes and so overall are not affected by the gridlock as much as other vehicles. There were long queues at BRT terminals yesterday and also, passengers were squeezing into every available space on them.
The repairs on the bridge are to continue for four months.
Short URL: http://citizensplatform.net/?p=7576
Posted by helvetica
on Jul 10 2012. Filed under FRONT PAGE, NEWS & REPORTS.
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