“BRT is a transport option, which relies on the use of dedicated ‘interference’ free segregated lanes to guarantee fast and reliable bus travel.” This is how the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) describes the BRT scheme on its website.
In Lagos, the man on the street sees the BRT scheme as a government intervention, which requires passengers to purchase tickets before embarking, and should get them to their destination in what may seem to be record time, because of the segregated lanes. It is seen by passengers as a departure from the overcrowded rickety 911 buses popularly called molue, and restores a level dignity to them.
In the last 6 months, I have noticed that more and more motorists now ride along the segregated BRT lanes. I journey from Maryland to National stadium & back every weekday and have lost count of the number of traffic infringements I see on the BRT lanes. At one time, I thought of obtaining video evidence, which I would send to the special adviser on transportation or the MD of LAMATA (not sure how, though). However, when I considered that drivers who went on the BRT lanes did so with impunity, & having witnessed on several occasions that most of them were either saluted then given free access on the route or the LASTMA officials simply looked away, allowing access; I dismissed the video evidence thing.
In Lagos, the man on the street sees the BRT scheme as a government intervention, which requires passengers to purchase tickets before embarking, and should get them to their destination in what may seem to be record time, because of the segregated lanes. It is seen by passengers as a departure from the overcrowded rickety 911 buses popularly called molue, and restores a level dignity to them.
In the last 6 months, I have noticed that more and more motorists now ride along the segregated BRT lanes. I journey from Maryland to National stadium & back every weekday and have lost count of the number of traffic infringements I see on the BRT lanes. At one time, I thought of obtaining video evidence, which I would send to the special adviser on transportation or the MD of LAMATA (not sure how, though). However, when I considered that drivers who went on the BRT lanes did so with impunity, & having witnessed on several occasions that most of them were either saluted then given free access on the route or the LASTMA officials simply looked away, allowing access; I dismissed the video evidence thing.
So, the million naira questions are “Who has rights to drive on the BRT lanes?” and “Why are some drivers more equal than others, such that they are ‘permitted’ to go on the segregated BRT lanes?” These drivers include private car owners, yellow bus drivers, military personnel, police, every vehicle with a beacon & siren and Lagos state official vehicle drivers. These groups of persons are obviously more equal than the law abiding Nigerian whose tax contributes to the wages of the enforcement agents (i.e. LASTMA).
Enough of the tough talking rhetoric we often hear from senior government officials and the occasional arrest of the ‘unfortunate’ driver that tries to elevate him/herself to the level of those that are more equal than others. These are incidents we SEE daily on our roads. What visible steps is the state government taking to curb this anomaly (not the ones we merely read on pages of newspapers)? Or is it indeed a case of all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others?
Have you ever driven on the BRT lanes? Have you been involved in any incident with vehicles that drive on BRT lanes? Have you ever been arrested (rightly or not) for driving along the BRT lanes? Please share your story by responding to this post.
Eko o ni baje o.
