Starting from Monday, October 16, the Lagos State Government is set to significantly increase the number of train journeys on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line, which runs from Marina to Mile 2.
The current 12 trips per day will be boosted to 54, with a target of reaching 74 trips by the end of November.
This expansion was announced by Kolawole Ojelabi, the Consultant of Corporate Communication at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), in a statement issued yesterday.
Ojelabi explained that they anticipate energizing the tracks by next Monday, allowing for the deployment of additional train sets for daily passenger operations.
In preparation for this increase in train services, there will be a temporary suspension of train operations on Saturday, October 14 (morning peak only), with no service in the afternoon and on Sunday, October 15. This pause is required to complete the transition to electricity.
Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, the Managing Director of LAMATA, emphasized the importance of suspending passenger operations during this transition to prioritize safety.
Such practices are common worldwide to ensure the secure implementation of substantial changes.
The switch to electricity will enable the introduction of more train trips and the capacity to accommodate more passengers.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched passenger operations on the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line on September 4, 2023.
Since then, it has already served over 80,000 passengers. It is anticipated that the daily passenger movement between Marina and Mile 2 will surpass 150,000 passengers in the coming months.
