Lagos State House of Assembly has moved to harmonise Transportation law by removing all grey areas in the principal law so as to suit the daily needs of the residents of the state.
This was made known by the Acting Chairman, House Committee On Transportation, Hon. Temitope Adewale, on Saturday at the ongoing 3-Day Retreat on ‘Lagos State Transport Sector Reform (Amendment) Bill 2018, in Lagos.
Adewale explained that the need to amend the transport law of the state becomes necessary due to the growing population in the state adding that the harmonised law would ensure effective practices among agencies in Lagos. He added.” The bill has passed first, and second reading and we have held public hearing on it but we saw the need for us to come together to iron out the little issues that arose from the public hearing and issues that came from the MDAs”.
Adewale stated that there was need to improve and amend the existing traffic laws to further ease the use of the roads and water ways, adding” that the amendment captures articulated vehicles, use and covering of number plate, use of tinted window, rider’s card permits and other transport facilities.
The lawmaker stressed” We are working on having signage, road markings to further improve driving abilities. We are also working on the conflicting responsibilities of the LAMATA and the LBSL where one acts as regulator and the other is a service provider. The same thing with the LASWA and the LAGFERRY.”
The harmonised law will ease effective transport system within the state, for instance the use of the water ways, lorries, containers and other road users within the state”.
Speaking on the forfeiting of vehicles arrested for One Way offence, the Acting Chairman said;” The law is clear, once you drive One Way and you are caught it is total forfeiture of the vehicle. The law has taken care of that and other concerns”.
However, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladehinde, said that it had been noticed that there were certain sections of the extant law that were ambiguous and needed to be clarified for the understanding of the common man. Oladehinde said the harmonisation of the law would help to fully implement the transport law, adding that it would also help the citizens to know and understand what actions, are transport offences.
He added that with the harmonised law, LBSL would operate effectively and that it operates differently from the previous LAGBUS.
Meanwhile, the Lagos state Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) seek amendment to section 140 of the principal law so as to have more additional power as a regulator over LBSL.
The agency also wants section 141 and 142 of the principal law to be removed and be added to section 104 so as to increase its power.
Section 104 of the principal law states that the authority shall prepare plans for the management and development of public transportation system in metropolitan Lagos; and as well be responsible for granting franchises to individuals or corporate bodies for the operation of bus services as it may deem appropriate.
It states further that LAMATA has power to alter, vary, refuse, suspend or revoke a licence issued to an individual or corporate body as it may deem expedient upon conditions specified ensure the compliance of Bus Operating Company with operational guidelines as prescribed by the Ministry. It is also responsible for granting concessions of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit, in accordance with the Public Private Partnership Law of Lagos State; advice on enforcement required to ensure a successful implementation of the Bus Reform Programme; prepare plans, implement and operate the Lagos Rail Mass Transit in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation; engage and train bus operators in line with the standards and procedures prescribed by the Ministry; determine bus fares; levy user charges in connection with the provision of its services and in collaboration with the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency to collect such charges or any other tariffs or fees, as may be authorised by the Governor.
Some of the attendees include; Officials of the Ministry of Justice, LAMATA, LAGFERRY, Special Adviser on Transportation To the Governor, Mr Oluwatoyin Fayinka, and the secretariat of the House Of Assembly Transport Committee.