Lagos Suspends Red Line Operations Indefinitely, Reasons Emerge
- Lagos state suspended the Red Line Train Service after mechanical failures disrupted operations and stranded passengers
- Passengers faced cancellations with limited updates, as operators deleted their WhatsApp communication channel
- Despite promises of affordability, the N1500 fare and low capacity have hindered the service's success
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The Lagos state government has announced the indefinite suspension of the Red Line Mass Transit Train Service (LRMT) following mechanical failures that disrupted operations last week.
The train service, which commenced commercial operations in October, encountered problems when mechanical faults left passengers stranded at various stations.
Source: Twitter
Passengers left stranded
On Monday, December 2, passengers experienced disruptions when a train developed mechanical issues during the morning service.
A commuter, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted,
“I boarded the train from Iju, but when we got to Mushin, we were told to disembark because the train couldn’t continue.”
Another passenger, Emmanuel Ajadi, stated he was turned away at Agege Train Station on Tuesday, morning, December 3.
“The station workers informed us that the train wouldn’t be operating, and no further explanations were given,” Ajadi shared.
Initially, the operators of the Red Line tried to mitigate the situation by announcing partial cancellations via their WhatsApp channel, stating that only evening services would run. However, those services also failed to operate.
By Tuesday evening, December 3 1the operators issued a formal apology, stating,
“We sincerely apologise for the cancellation of service this evening due to mechanical faults. Kindly note that the train will not be operating tomorrow, and until further notice. We deeply regret this situation.”
The WhatsApp channel, used for updates, was deleted on Friday, leaving passengers with no official communication platform, The Guardian reported.
Struggles with high costs and low capacity
The Red Line, operated by First Metro under the supervision of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), has faced challenges beyond mechanical faults.
Many passengers had expressed concerns about the high cost of tickets, priced at N1500 per trip, compared to the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s narrow gauge service at N750, NAtion reported.
While designed to carry up to 500,000 passengers daily, the train has reportedly been running below optimal capacity.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the launch of the service in February, promised efficient and affordable transportation, including the implementation of a 25 per cent rebate on public transport.
“Travel time will be reduced to between 30 to 45 minutes end-to-end,” the governor had assured at the time.
Sanwo-Olu completes Blue Line Rail in Lagos
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos state governor, completed the Blue Line Rail on Wednesday, December 21.
Jubril Gawat, a senior aide to the governor, disclosed this on his Twitter handle, noting that the first phase of the infrastructure projects (Marina to Mile 2) was completed and inaugurated on Wednesday.
Recall that the blue line is one of the 7 Lagos metro rail lines the state has embarked upon, it spans from Marina to Okokomaiko.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
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