The now very popular Blue Line has become a blessing to commuters who live along the Lagos- Badagry expressway
By Uche Nnadozie
On 12 August, the Lagos Rail Mass Transit’s (LRMT) Blue Line upscaled the number of trips per day from 54 to 72. This increase excludes Sunday service when traffic is usually light.
Making this known to the public, the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, said that the Blue Line train riders would now travel between Marina and Mile 2 in just about 18 minutes – an improvement of seven minutes from the previous travel time of 25 minutes.
This simply means that there would be a train every 18 minutes from both ends of the corridor, thus allowing commuters to plan their trips more efficiently.
As if that wasn’t enough, the MD announced a 25 per cent discount fare for commuters travelling within the off-peak period set at 10.00 am and 4.00 pm daily. This is the state helping to ameliorate the economic situation in the country.
Consequently, the new train schedule is expected to reduce travel time, encourage more riders to use the train system during the off-peak periods and reduce expenditure on transportation by households.
The new trip schedule which sees the first train roll off from the Marina train station at 6.30am also have the last train leave at 7.27.9pm. The full schedule is available on LAMATA’s website, train stations and the agency’s social media handles.
The Blue Line commenced commercial operation on 4 September 2023, and in less than one year has moved close to two million passengers. It has also become the darling of content creators who latch on to the popularity of the service to make money through social media tools.
The now very popular Blue Line has become a blessing to commuters who live along the Lagos- Badagry expressway, especially folks who commute between Lagos State University, Agric, Okoko, Trade Fair, FESTAC, Satellite, Mile 2, Amuwo, Kirikiri, Orile, Coker, Iganmu, Lagos Island and surrounding environments.
For businessmen, traders, white collar workers and tourists, the Blue Line makes the day easy for them. In fact, those of them who own cars can now park them or use them for weekend runs.
Since the schedules are fixed and are now 36 trips both ways, every smart Lagosian can now plan their trips and avoid traffic wahala, including accident, road rage, traffic, LASTMA, police and VIO troubles forever.
Life can be convenient if we plan to make it so. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has enacted that comfort by providing air-conditioned, fast and efficient coaches to ease stress and create balance in every day travel experience in the state.
For traders who shuttle between Amuwo, FESTAC, Trade Fair and Idumota, I wonder why they put their cars on the road when a cheaper and convenient alternative is always available. It is the same for bank and other workers.
If I lived in that axis, it’s bye bye to cars and hello Blue Line travel.