Articulated vehicles snub government, block major roads

Notwithstanding the directive by Lagos State Government barring container trucks and petroleum tanker vehicles from driving and parking indiscriminately on Lagos roads, articulated vehicles have remained adamant and in fact caused more terrible gridlock at the seaport area.

A resolution by the Lagos State government and other stakeholders including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the terminal operators and Nigeria Police, had last week ordered the law enforcement agencies to regulate the movement of trucks and tankers on Lagos roads, particularly in the Apapa axis.

The Guardian investigations showed that these vehicles are even causing more terrible traffic logjam from Coconut bus stop to Mile-two axis.On Monday, Road Safety officials diverted traffic from Trinity through Berger bridge, although some vehicles and motorcycle riders chose to drive against traffic because the container trucks and petroleum tankers have parked and dominated the major expressway from Ibafon to Berger bus stop.

The Kirikiri bridge and the Western Marina flyover were not speared as truckers parked bumper to bumper on the bridges.The stakeholders had earlier agreed that truck barriers should be erected at the entrance and exit of identified inner roads within Apapa axis, stressing that all articulated vehicles (tankers, trailers and trucks) would be restricted to truck terminals in Ogun State.

They also agreed that the shipping companies “must write and get approvals in advance from the NPA and port managers at Apapa and Tin-can Ports, respectively, for the number of containers expected into the port on a daily basis”.