or heavy logjam from 6pm to 9 pm every day. Commuters, who ply the road and workers, who frequent the road, often spend several man-hours in traffic every evening. Oriwu sun spoke with the masses who witness the situation on daily basis and their responses are filed in this report.
“The Ikorodu Roundabout is Too Wide”
- ROTIMI AWOBOLA, a transit salesman, who frequent the Ikorodu-Oshodi route, believe the roundabout is too wide and leaves only narrow ways for vehicles to maneuver around it.
“The construction plan of the roundabout leaves vehicles to drive around with difficulty during the evening time when most residents are returning from work. Most Ikorodu residents return home from Lagos past 5 pm and the roundabout slow dawn vehicular movement at that point, which inevitably causes traffic”.
“Massive Pedestrian crossing makes the traffic worse”
For MR. ADENIJI OLAWALE, a watch repairer at the Ikorodu Garage, the influx of people attempting to cross the road during early and late evenings worsen the situation.
“Once it is 5pm, you will see people crossing the road in a rush, and they all force vehicles on both lanes to slow down.”
“The Road is not broad enough”
ODUSANYA BOLANLE, a newspaper vendor at the Ikorodu Garage, believes that the road is not broad enough.
“The part of the Ikorodu road from Mile12 to Agric Bus stop is eight (8)-lane, but right from Benson Bus stop to Garage, it becomes narrower. Perhaps, if they had maintain the broad structure down to the roundabout, there wouldn’t be so much traffic at the evening time.”
“The BRT buses complicate the traffic situation”
A LASTMA official, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the BRT buses, which take off and deliver passengers during the evening peak hours, complicate the traffic as they have to stop other vehicles from moving for the priority buses to drive in and out of their park. “Though, road side petty traders constitute nuisance during the peak hours; we are not empowered by law to take disciplinary action against them. So, we just control the traffic in frustration”.
“Commuter bus drivers violate traffic rules during evening time”
MARIAM ASHIRU, who sells frozen foods at the Garage market, lamented the rate at which commuter bus drivers break traffic rules during evening times.
“The commuter bus drivers would stop in defiance to traffic rules to load their vehicles when coming back from Lagos Island. Those heading to Imota, Ijede and Odonguyan would stop in the middle of the road to embark passengers. Another problem is the roadside hawkers, who bring their wares in wheel barrows; they encroach on the main road and slow movement down”.
“The Wheel barrow traders should be kept off the road”
BOSE SANU, a meat seller at the garage market.
“One way to ease the traffic is to keep the petty traders and their wheel barrows off the road. The law enforcement agents should work to keep these illegal petty traders and the street urchins off the Ikorodu-Garage way”.
“The Law enforcers must girdle up during rush-hours”
HAMZAT RIDWAN, believes that rush-hour traffic is a global issue, yet, other nations manage theirs through committed and discipline law enforcement agents.
“What we need is for the traffic agents like the LASTMA officials, LAGESC officials and the Policemen to do their job with all seriousness, not collecting bribe from the illegal salesmen and turning blind eyes to their issue”.
“Stubborn roadside vendors should be dealt with”
TAOFEEK KOLAGBE: a bus conductor.
The traffic situation will ease if errant roadside vendors are forced to leave. However, in most cases, after being expelled by government officials, they soon resume their trade not minding being chased again. In order to address this traffic problem, they should be kept off the road permanently.
“Government should expand the Ikorodu Garage way”
SHAKI AYINDE: a car-parts dealer, believes expansion of the road will solve the problem. Ayinde also suggest that other alternative means of transportation like waterways or even helicopter will ease the road of constant gridlock.
“Appropriate disciplinary action will bring sanity to the Garage road”
ADA ORUH, an Ikorodu resident. “The easiest way to bring sanity to the road and ease traffic problem during rush-hours is by instilling discipline in the commuter bus drivers, who stay on the road during this time of the day to load and disembark passengers.”
“The commuter buses must be controlled”
YOMI IDOWU, an Engineer, lamented the attitude of commuter bus drivers, who stop obeying traffic rules once it is evening time. “
“Government officials must closely monitor activities of these drivers during this time. Most of them ignore traffic rules”.
“Market women take over the road at night”
OLUWASEUN ANTHONY, a commercial motorcycle (Okada) rider: “The local market women often resume trader activities at night as they spread their wares across the walkways and take part of the main road in the process”.