Sanwo-Olu Okays Increase In BRT Buses Fares From 1 August

OLUWATOBI EMMANUEL

The Governor of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved an average of 46 percent increase on bus services (BRT buses) on the routes operated by the Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL).

Assistant Director, Corporate Communication, at the Lagos Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LAMATA), Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, said in a statement Tuesday that the increase takes effect from August 1.

According to him, Governor Sanwo-Olu assented to the bus fare review following a plea by the bus operating company on the need to sustain its operation because of the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on public bus transportation.

The governor also approved LBSL’s request to increase the number of passengers per bus from 20 to 42 in observance of updated COVID-19 protocol, as directed by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the operation of public transport, while ensuring other measures are in place.

Sanwo-Olu granted LBSL buses  permission to access dedicated bus lanes in Lagos State, thus making their journey times predictable on corridors with bus dedicated lanes.

The LBSL had argued that conveying not more than 20 passengers per bus, per trip, had resulted in only 14 per cent utilisation of the bus load factor, leading to 72 per cent drop in revenue, while the running costs remained fairly the same.

He said the fare increase would improve LBSL’s operational efficiency and place the bus operating company on the path to sustainability in the medium to long term.