Lagos BRT Increases Fares To 300, 500, Stops Passenger Standing

The operators of the Lagos State’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Primero Transport Services Limited has announced the decision to increase its fares across all routes, with effect from today, Friday, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The BRT operator had withdrawn its services since Monday over losses occasioned by new COVID-19 transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70, according to The Cable.

But after a meeting with the state government on Thursday, the BRT Managing Director, Mr Fola Tinubu announced it had gotten the approval to increase its fares, adding that the number of passengers on the buses would also be increased to 42 with no passenger standing as against the 20 earlier approved by the government.

“Everywhere commuters are paying N200 for a trip, it is going to be N300 and everywhere commuters are paying N300 per trip, it is going to be N500,” Tinubu said.

“We are increasing our fares. We have secured the permission of the regulator, Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.”

The BRT MD stated that the decision was not intended to punish anybody or to victimise anybody but because of the current realities occasioned by the pandemic.

We are doing this not to punish anybody or to victimise anybody but because the circumstances we found ourselves forced us to do it,” he said.

“We need to make sure the company is on a sound financial footing, and if we don’t do this, the buses will not be available in the long run and there will be no way for us to fix buses and bring new buses.

“The business must be on a solid financial footing. Without this, the company cannot survive, and if the company does not survive, it will even cost commuters more in the long run.

“We understand that this is going to put some hardship on people but if we don’t do this and the company goes under, it will even cost the people more.”

Tinubu however expressed regret for the inconvenience and distress the withdrawal of services had caused the commuters in Lagos since Monday.

He said the firm would be back in full operations and would make 320 buses available to make sure people got to destinations in time and safely.

According to him, the firm will ensure that going forward, the wait time and queues at bus stations are reduced.