Molue Commercial Buses Banned from Lagos Island

Big commercial buses, known as ‘Molue’, were banned from operating on Lagos Island by the decision of the Lagos State Government.

The government explained that it also did not expect the buses to ply Third Mainland, Eko and Carter bridges, adding that operating in the Central Business District had become history for the buses.

According to the statement released by Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on September 5, 2013, Thursday, said the decision was to ensure adequate monitoring of the operations of commercial vehicles and compliance with traffic rules and regulations.

Mr. Babatunde Edu, the General Manager of LASTMA, revealed the position on Lagos Authorities during a stakeholders’ meeting with branch chairmen of the Lagos Urban Bus Owners Association of Nigeria, the operators of Molue buses in the state.

“This directive had become effective since August, 2012, but Lagos State Government, being a responsive and responsible government which believes in enlightenment before enforcement, decided to shift the enforcement to September 2013.

“LASTMA officials have been mandated to ensure strict compliance and impound any Molue that is found to have flouted the directive after September 4, 2013,” Mr. Edu said.

LASTMA GM told the operators that the government had not banned them, therefore they could perform their operations in any other parts of the state apart from the restricted areas.

“The government has not banned the operations of Molue in the state. Rather, it has restricted their operations to areas like Orile, Iyana Ipaja, Mile 2 and Mile 12,” he said.

Mr. Edu also named the prohibited routes: Iddo, Ebute Ero, Apongbon, Obalende, Idumota and CMS.