The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has moved to enforce traffic laws on some recalcitrantĀ Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) bus drivers across the State.
This was made known by the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, during a courtesy visit by a delegation from LAMATA led by its Director of Corporate Communication, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi to the Agencyās Headquarters at Oshodi, Lagos.
OreagbaĀ saidĀ thatĀ theĀ enforcementĀ ofĀ TrafficĀ LawsĀ onĀ recklessĀ BRTĀ busĀ operatorsĀ becameĀ imperativeĀ followingĀ aĀ seriesĀ ofĀ complaintsĀ fromĀ membersĀ ofĀ theĀ publicĀ onĀ theĀ recalcitrantĀ attitudeĀ ofĀ someĀ ofĀ theĀ drivers,Ā particularlyĀ atĀ majorĀ intersectionsĀ acrossĀ theĀ metropolis.
LASTMAĀ toĀ sanctionĀ recalcitrantĀ BRTĀ drivers
Oreagba said, āIt would no longer be business as usual for some of the BRT drivers who regularly violate traffic rules and regulations without regard to the law and causing avoidable traffic obstructions on major roads across the State.āā
TheĀ LASTMAĀ bossĀ reiteratedĀ thatĀ anyĀ LAMATAĀ busĀ driverĀ caughtĀ drivingĀ againstĀ trafficĀ (one-way),Ā dischargingĀ passengersĀ atĀ undesignatedĀ bus/stops,Ā orĀ disobeyingĀ trafficĀ officers/trafficĀ lightsĀ wouldĀ beĀ dealtĀ with,Ā inĀ accordanceĀ withĀ theĀ LagosĀ StateĀ TransportĀ SectorĀ ReformĀ LawĀ ofĀ 2018.
HeĀ said,Ā āLAMATAĀ asĀ aĀ managementĀ mustĀ asĀ aĀ matterĀ ofĀ urgencyĀ engageĀ expertsĀ onĀ transportationĀ managementĀ toĀ trainĀ andĀ retrainĀ theirĀ operatorsĀ (drivers)Ā inĀ orderĀ toĀ checkmateĀ theirĀ excesses.āā
Mr. Oreagba also appealed to motorists both private and commercial bus drivers to always adhere strictly to all traffic rules and regulations.
LAMATA admits recklessness of some BRT drivers
Also, speaking at the occasion, the Director of Corporate Communication, LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi called for a synergy between LAMATA and LASTMA in traffic management and enforcement.
HeĀ assuredĀ thatĀ LASTMAĀ personnelĀ wouldĀ henceforthĀ beĀ invitedĀ duringĀ theirĀ quarterlyĀ āVillageĀ MeetingāĀ toĀ educateĀ andĀ enlightenĀ BRTĀ busĀ driversĀ onĀ theĀ basicĀ trafficĀ lawsĀ andĀ signs.
OjelabiĀ said,Ā āWeĀ areĀ awareĀ ofĀ theĀ recklessnessĀ ofĀ someĀ ofĀ theseĀ driversĀ andĀ onĀ aĀ regularĀ basisĀ weĀ sackĀ andĀ blacklistĀ someĀ toĀ preventĀ themĀ fromĀ beingĀ employedĀ byĀ anotherĀ busĀ serviceĀ company.āā
He stated that any bus operator caught violating the Stateās traffic laws and regulations must be held accountable in accordance with the Law.