The incessant intrusion into Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) dedicated lanes by wheelbarrow and other non-motorised vehicles have led to negative consequences yet the appropriate authorities that should halt the act seem unperturbed.

When the first batch of Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System was launched on March 17, 2008 for the CMS – Mile 12 corridor, Lagos State government’s aim was to provide a fast, reliable, comfortable, and accessible public transport system.   

This led to the creation of dedicated lanes, and bus-ways among others for the buses that will be on the different routes.So, there were Bus Rapid Transit lanes with the general acronym being ‘BRT Lanes’, which are meant to be free from intruders. And interlopers who dared to stray into the BRT lanes were penalised by the state law, which made it illegal for non BRT buses to ply the lanes.

Commercial vehicle drivers aside BRT bus drivers, private car drivers including military officers that have dared government on this policy saw the wrath of the policymakers as they were made to face the consequences of their action.

However, in areas such as Oshodi, Iyana Ipaja, Orile and some other BRT corridors, wheel barrow pushers are known to flagrantly flout the policy of no other wheelers permitted to encroach the BRT lanes. 

While some are seen to carry heavy loads pushing their wheel barrows on the BRT lanes, some without items are often found with their wheel barrows nonchalantly moving on the lanes, not minding whose ox is gored nor the gravity of the consequences of their insidious disobedient action.

A BRT bus driver, simply identified as Collins, lamented the intrusion by wheel barrow pushers on BRT lanes stating the confusion they have caused by their action.   

“It is a big problem we have been contending with which appears not to have any solution.  Wheelbarrow pushers constitute nuisance on BRT corridors, causing a lot of accidents on BRT lanes. 

“We have lost about two of our drivers in the cause of them dodging wheelbarrow pushers. We have had a lot of harrowing experiences with these wheelbarrow pushers and we hope a solution is found to the crisis.

“We wish the authority listens to us to address this problem. BRT lanes are not meant for any other vehicle or intruders and this is the reason they are carved out of the main roads. Buses on BRT lanes are not to be confronted or met by any other vehicle or be inhibited by any object, but unfortunately, reverse is the case. 

“Just as we are facing the problem of wheelbarrow pushers, we are also facing motorcycle riders in military and police uniforms on BRT lanes.  They give us a lot of headache, because if we meet them in a tight section of the lane owing to the narrowness of the corridor, it is always difficult to evade them.  One can imagine a situation where two buses meet and a wheel barrow or a motorcycle rider is on the lane, how do both of us pass?” Another BRT bus driver, Balogun Ganiyu, said that the consequences of wheelbarrow pushers intruding into BRT lanes cannot be quantified.   

 
“We have complained several times but no solution has been proffered.  Aside from the wheelbarrow pushers, there are also people sitting on the culvert of the lanes, which is dangerous.

“Recently, a co-driver broke my side mirror while dodging a wheelbarrow pusher. And the glass had to be replaced. All we are asking is for the government to solve the problem of wheelbarrow pushers intruding into the corridor. 

“There are some wheelbarrow pushers who will abuse us and tell us to dare over run them to pass.  As we are contending with wheelbarrow pushers, so we are contending with motorcycle riders, those trekking and mini-bus drivers.  The issue is very serious. The only solution is for the government to ensure effective monitoring of the lanes to ensure no trespassers encroach on the lane. 

“If the members of the task force remain consistent for one month, I believe that there will be sanity on BRT lanes.  If they are able to apprehend culprits and deal with them decisively according to the law, it will reduce maximally the flux of intruders on BRT lanes.   

“For example, any railway track victim is guilty and has no one to blame or to compensate him.   He is on his own unless God is on his side.   In the case of BRT, if any driver should hit anyone who trespasses, sympathisers who do not know what transpired would first pounce on the BRT driver or even stone the bus, absolving the person who trespassed. 
 
“It is apparent that the monitoring team put in place now is not doing their work effectively. Take for instance; the period my mirror was broken in the cause of dodging or avoiding collusion with another BRT vehicle as a result of a wheelbarrow pusher, if I had complained, the authorities would have distanced themselves from it while the buck would still have been passed back to me.” 

When the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho was contacted, he said intruders should know that it is not proper to be pushing wheel barrow on a designated BRT lane. 

“The question is, where is this practiced in any part of the world?  The government cannot be blamed because every sane person is expected to know that BRT lanes are meant for BRT buses just like the rail is meant for trains.

“My take is that people know the right thing to do but only take delight in breaking the rules and taking the government for granted. “It is dangerous, it is uncivilised,   it is primitive for people to be pushing wheel barrows on the BRT lanes.  It is unheard of.  I feel everybody should take responsibility to condemn the bad habit of trespassing on BRT lanes and chide every intruder. ”

“The government should not be left alone in this charge for it cannot do everything. The government can only make policies and ensure they are working. We have so many BRT lanes in Lagos and it is impossible to assign police officers to every kilometre of these lanes just because we want to stop wheel barrow pushers who are all over the place and other intruders from encroaching on the lanes.  I think we should all talk to ourselves. 

“This is the first time I am hearing this.  We are going to include monitoring of the lanes in our advocacy and ensure we push it very well so that people will know that it is unreasonable to push wheel barrows on the BRT lanes,” he said.