Lagos to Restrict Trucks, Trailers, Others to Night Operations

Matilda Omonaiye/

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to enforce the restriction of trucks and articulated vehicles to night operations on certain routes within the next 30 days.

This decision follows the heavy traffic gridlock and fatalities caused by these articulated vehicles on roads in the state.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, this disclosure was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, at a Stakeholders Meeting on Implementation of Trucks and Long Vehicles Restriction to Night Time Operations and Dedicated Routes in the state.

At the meeting which was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Oladeinde said the development is part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s continuous efforts to curb consistent road crashes caused by the activities and operations of trucks and trailers on Lagos roads.

Oladeinde said, “This is in line with the state government’s THEMES Agenda especially as it relates to Traffic Management and Transportation and the ease of doing business in the state. Restrictions of containerized trailers and trucks on our roads will now be from 9pm to 6am.

“Containerised trailers are not allowed to travel during the day, it has to be at night time between 9pm and 6am They have to abide by this timing in accordance with the Transportation Law, 2018,” he said.

He pointed out that the state in partnership with law enforcement agencies, the Department of Petroleum Resources and other critical stakeholders, will ensure the implementation of some of these strategies in a month’s time.

Oladeinde said the government had defined dedicated industrial and boundary routes for trucks and trailers.

He said, “There will be routes where trailers will be restricted. Trailers can no longer travel across the whole of Lagos, we will make sure that we provide the essential infrastructure. We must keep our roads safe.

“The number of trailers that fell on our roads is very alarming. It is important that we protect the people of Lagos state and it is important that we protect their property.”

Going further Oladeinde said the state government would enforce the maximum capacity of 45,000 litres as what tankers can lift from tank farms.

He said, “We have experienced a lot of tankers carrying 90, 000 liters and had to break down on the road. Any tanker that carries more than 45, 000 liters will be confiscated. We will also ensure sanctions on defaulters.’’

On his own part, a Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Abdul-Hafiz Toriola, explained that trucks and trailers were banned from plying Ojota, Maryland, Palmgroove, Fadeyi, and Western Avenue to Apapa.

He said such long vehicles from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will ply Alapere-Ogudu-Gbagada-Oshodi Apapa Expressway to Apapa and follow the same route out of Lagos.

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