Okada/Keke ban: Primero rolls out 300 buses

Primero Transport Services Limited, operators of Bus Rapid Transit in Lagos, says it has rolled out more than 300 buses to cushion the effect of the Lagos State Government’s ban on commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) operation in some parts of the state.
The Managing Director of the firm, Fola Tinubu, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Monday.
Tinubu said the company had repaired and refurbished some of its buses to further meet the demand of teeming commuters.
He said: “We have rolled over 300 buses out today to cushion the effects and we plan to put out even more later in the week.
“We have been repairing the faulty ones and plan to put even more on the road this week.”
The managing director said the repaired buses were deployed on the BRT existing routes.
He said the firm needed approval of the state government before moving to new routes.
NAN reports that the government on January 26 had announced its intention to intensify enforcement of the extant Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018 from February 1.
The law banned the operation of Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) in some Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.
They include Apapa LGA, Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG, Yaba LCDA, Surulere LGA, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LGA, Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LGA, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LGA and Lagos Island East LCDA.
According to the state government, the rate of crime aided by motorcycles and tricycles has been on the rise, as they are also used as get-away means by criminals.
The state government said the law also banned motorcycles and tricycles on all highways, bridges and some listed roads.
The major highways include: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway and Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Others are: Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Funsho Williams Avenue, Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road.
The restricted bridges include Iyana-Ipaja Bridge Agege, Dopemu Bridge Agege, Airport/Ikeja Bridge, Agege Motor Road/Oshodi Loop, Oshodi, Mushin/Isolo Link Bridge and Dorman Long Bridge.
Also listed are Ojuelegba Bridge, National Stadium Flyover, Apapa-Iganmu Bridge, Apapa-Ijora Link Bridge, Liverpool Bridge, Apapa, Mile 2 Bridge-Loop, Amuwo-Odofin, Okota (Cele)/Ijesha Link Bridge, Apakun/Apapa-Oshodi Bridge Network, Ikorodu Road/Anthony Clover Leaf Bridge and Trade Fair Flyover Bridge.
Festac/Amuwo-Odofin Link Bridge, two Flyover Bridges along Alhaji Masha Road, Ojota Clover Leaf Bridge, Ogudu Bridge, 3rd Mainland Bridge, Maryland flyover, Ikeja General Hospital Flyover Bridge, Kodesoh Bridge, Oba Akran, Ikeja, Opebi Link Bridge, Sheraton-Opebi Bridge, Jibowu/Yaba flyover Bridge, Carter Bridge, Lagos and Bariga-Ifako Bridge are on the list.
The rest are: Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Alapere Bridge, Bariga/Oworonsoki Bridge, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Gbagada U-Turn, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, 3rd Mainland/Oworonsoki Bridge, Eko Bridge, Apongbon flyover Bridge, Cowry Bridge (Officers Mess), Mcwen Bridge (Bonny Camp), Marina/Ikoyi Bridge and Ikoyi/Obalende Bridge.