BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)
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BRT means Bus Rapid Transit.
BRT is a transport option, which relies on the use of dedicated ‘interference’ free segregated lanes to guarantee fast and reliable bus travel. The BRT buses run on physically segregated lanes and thus make them run faster in a situation where there is traffic congestion.
It is one of the several options available for tackling the huge public transport predicaments of Lagos.
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BRT: Dedicated “interference’ free segregated lanes
Other options include the light rail, heavy rail, subway metro and traditional bus systems. The light and heavy rails as well as the subway metro systems are appropriate, but very expensive to construct and operate. The traditional bus service is highly patronized because it is flexible and inexpensive. But it has the problems of negative public image, air and noise pollution, slow speed and ramshackle state of the buses.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) takes care of most of the problems of the other systems:
* It will reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and meet the mobility needs, particularly of the less privileged and poor masses of the Lagos metropolis.
* It is a roadway-based system that looks and behaves like a subway, offering high capacity rapid transit services but on dedicated lanes or city streets.
First phase of the Lagos BRT to run from Mile 12 through Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue up to CMS is scheduled to start operation by November 2007.
It is projected that the system will carry up to 10,000 passengers per direction per hour during peak travel hours.
The LAMATA BRT corridor is about 22 kilometres in length.
Two operators, NURTW Cooperative and LAGBUS, a Lagos State Government owned Asset Management Company are contributing about 180 high capacity buses for the implementation of the first phase Mile 12 to CMS BRT Lite system.
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LAMATA BRT Buses at the Ojota depot
In all, LAMATA has provided 26 bus shelters, along the entire stretch of the corridor and have resurfaced the service lanes where all yellow buses and other articulated and heavy-duty buses would be restricted.
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LAMATA bus shelter at Ilupeju
LAMATA has in place a new set of regulations to guide the operations of the BRT.
The BRT would run 16 – hour operations running from 6.00 a.m to 10 p.m.
Fifteen monitoring officers would be in charge of daily operational activities on the corridor.
A private towing provider manages towing service on the corridor.
A modern bus depot with state-of-the-art facilities that can accommodate about 100 buses is situated at the Ojota axis of the corridor. There are three bus terminals along the corridor at Mile 12, Moshalashi and CMS. The CMS terminal is designed to integrate with other transport modes of rail and ferry which the Lagos State Government is soon to implement.
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The LAMATA bus depot at Ojota showing:
3 No 33,000litre underground Gas tank, 2 Nos. fuel dispensers, 2 nos. generating sets, Overhead water tanks with boreholes, State-of-the-art mechanic workshop
One of the components of the LAMATA BRT scheme is security and a strong factor in ensuring this, is the lighting up of the entire corridor on both sides to ensure safety of lives and property.
To ensure the reliability of the lights, LAMATA has provided 10 nos. 100KVA generators and transformers as alternative power supply to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
In other to maximise cost of running the power system, LAMATA is considering a proposal for the installation of solar-powered streetlights along the corridor in the nearest future.
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