The Lagos State Government has announced a ban on articulated trucks using the Lekki-Epe corridor during peak hours from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., starting in August when the electronic call-up (e-call-up) system will be launched.
This was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily show on Friday, where he noted the importance of the e-call up the system on the corridor as the Lekki-Epe corridor records around 2,000 articulated trucks daily.
Osiyemi noted that the plan to keep articulated trucks off the Lekki-Epe corridor during peak periods, when people are commuting, is integrated into the e-call up system. Known as “belt time,” this system ensures that articulated trucks servicing the area will not be called to the parking or loading bay during these hours, allowing for better traffic management and road safety.
“Interestingly, the e-call up system will include something called ‘belt time,’ which means that during certain periods, specifically from 5am to 9am when people are going to work, no trucks or lorries will be on the road. Additionally, from 6pm to 10pm, when people are returning from work, no trucks or lorries will be allowed on the road, either going to the park or to the loading bay,” explained the Commissioner for Transportation.
Osiyemi highlighted that these time windows have been designated to allow people residing around the Lekki-Epe corridor to move freely during peak periods. He noted that this strategic move aims to prevent the issues experienced in the Apapa area, where the constant presence of articulated trucks on the road made movement difficult around the ports.
More insight
Shedding more light on the e-call up system for the Lekki-Epe corridor, which records about 2,000 articulated trucks daily, the Commissioner noted that several measures have been implemented alongside the belt time.
These measures include the planned usage of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, five designated parks for truck parking, and strict enforcement by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Taskforce, and the Police.
Osiyemi explained that RFID scanners would enable officials to check the status of each truck instantly, preventing issues like those in Apapa, where trucks lingered after offloading containers in search of extra jobs, complicating the e-call up implementation.
The Commissioner emphasized that LASTMA, the Lagos State Taskforce, and the Police will actively impound trucks violating the guidelines.
He also mentioned the five designated parks for articulated trucks: Hog Marketing Limited in Okorisan, Epe; Nilmage Two4Seven in Poka, Epe; Goldspeed Freight Agency Ltd. opposite Dangote Refinery on Lekki Coastal Road; Diamond Star Ports and Terminal Ltd. in Abule Panu, Lekki-Epe; and Tal Concept Ltd. at HFP Brick Industry on Lekki-Epe Expressway. These parks have a combined capacity to hold over 1,200 trucks, keeping them off the roads when not needed.
Enforcement of these regulations on the Lekki-Epe corridor will commence on August 7, 2024, a week after the official launch of the e-call-up system on August 1, 2024.