There were apparent drop in the number of commuters waiting for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), LAGBUS and franchise buses across several terminals in parts of Lagos as new fares regime begins.
Franchise owners, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) had recently announced its plans to effect an upward review of BRT and LAGBUS fares from yesterday, March 1, stating that the current economic recession posed a serious threat to its continued operations when maintenance cost is considered.
Some of the commuters, who spoke responded to our correspondents’ questions at Marina Terminus said they are caught in the web of no choice as ‘Molue’ had been phased out before now across the state.
They argued that if governance is all about service delivery, Lagos State Government ought to have given some respite by way of holding back the hike pending when the recession will be over so that Lagosians can at least move around to eke out living.
Details from some of the ticketing agents at the new upgraded terminus at TBS said the fare increase, which ranges from 20 to 50 per cent, cuts across all the routes.
One of them who gave her name simply as Sola said “Now a trip from Ikorodu to Mile 12, with a fare of N70 will become N100 from today. Ikotun to Iyana Ipaja will move up from N50 to N100, while Ikotun to Ikeja would be N200 from N100 per trip.
Also, from Igando to Maryland will now cost N150 from its former fare of N100, while every passenger commuting from Dopemu to Ikeja/Maryland would pay N200 as against the N150 fare”.
