In a renewed effort towards creating awareness on Lagos State Traffic Laws on restricted areas for the operation of motorcycles, popularly called okada and tricycles, the Lagos State Government has begun the installation of 2,000 signs prohibiting them from plying restricted routes.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, stated that a good number of the road signs indicated areas where tricycles and motorcycles operations were prohibited, warning that any one that violated the law after this effort would be punished in accordance with the dictate of the law.
Oladeinde explained that the road signs which have been mounted on major highways, including the Third Mainland Bridge, Agege Motor Road, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would further create awareness on restricted areas for okadas and tricycles as prescribed by the State Government.
‘’We have successfully placed road signs on the Third Mainland Bridge, Agege Motor Road, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and other places to indicate areas that motorcyclists and tricycles are restricted and we urge that they comply for safety of their lives and members of the public as we will apply the law on any erring okada rider that violates our law’’ the Commissioner warned.
Oladeinde explained further that motorcycle and tricycle operations remained restricted on highways and bridges in all Local Government areas including; Apapa, Ikeja, Ikoyi, Surulere, Eti-Osa and Lagos Island, which according to him would be covered adequately with the signs to ensure that road safety culture is engraved in the consciousness of road users across the state.
The Commissioner urged Lagosians to cooperate with the state government’s initiatives to tackle traffic gridlock in the metropolis as it will provide faster result in decongesting the highways of traffic which in turn will create seamless movement of goods and service that will ultimately improve the state’s economy.
