Lagos State Government has unveiled a new policy aimed at driving support for walking and cycling on all roads in the state.
The policy direction aimed at achieving zero pedestrian deaths in the state, was on Wednesday unveiled to critical stakeholders by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) at its head office in Lagos.
Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, who unveiled the planned initiative at a stakeholder workshop on Lagos Sidewalk Pilot Project at the LAMATA office, said the new policy would help sanitize urban public transportation.
The crux of the new policy according to him is aimed at promoting the culture of walking and cycling as encompassed in a new Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) put together by the Ministry of Transportation and LAMATA, with support from the German government, BMZ Federal Ministry of Economic Transportation and Development and Transformative Urban Mobility.
He said the policy would begin with a pilot scheme and the aim is to create a walkway for pedestrians rather than continue to see them make use of the carriageway thereby causing traffic congestion and acidents.
The interaction between pedestrian and motorized vehicles in Lagos is dangerous and not properly planned. Pedestrians and cyclists are frequently forced to walk and ride simultaneously on the carriageway sharing same road with motorized transport,” Lawanson said.
The commissioner said the intervention would help correct the low level interventions of the state government in the past, which has mortgaged the safety for pedestrians on the state roads.
“This problem is worsened by the current problem of road capacity and an absence of road hierarchy which ought to prioritize the pedestrians in access to the roads in the state.
The commissioner noted that the new transport policy would address the challenges with improved infrastructures that makes pedestrians important player on the roads.
While arguing that a large percentage of Nigerians including residents of Lagos must either walk or cycle to their respective destinations, Lawanson hinted that the policy was designed to cater for everyone.
“Henceforth, the Lagos State Government will be guided by the new NMT policy, which incorporates contemporary street design management principles that support safe, active and ample space for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport rather than streets designed to move personal motor vehicles.
“The critical role of NMT needs to be recognised and factored into road infrastructure investment because investing in NMT road infrastructure leads to massive benefits including reduction in greenhouse gas emission and increases access to vital services and employment,” he added.
Earlier, Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mr. Abiodun Dabiri, hinted that TUMI funded sidewalk pilot project will apply innovative tools to assess existing walkability and prioritize investment to improve walk-way usage in the state.
Dabiri who was represented by the Director of Corporate and Investment Planning Mr Frederic Oladeinde, disclosed that the policy has attracted a €180, 000 (N72, 581, 400) pilot grant from German Government to make the roads safer for all users especially pedestrians.
According to him, the new policy would ensure a better flow of traffic, create ample space for pedestrians, reduce emission of air pollutants and green-house gasses and protect vulnerable road users from speeding motor vehicles.