Enugu to ban tricycles, minibuses as BRT rollout begins

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The Enugu State Government has announced plans to restrict the operation of tricycles, yellow buses, and minibuses from five major roads across Enugu city.

This is to give way for the implementation of the state’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which residents have refused to use since it was launched several months ago.

The Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Obi Ozor, announced the plan to restrict operations of buses and tricycles on Monday during a consultative meeting with transport unions and stakeholders at the ministry’s headquarters.

Ozor listed the affected traffic corridors as Okpara Avenue–Abakaliki Road–New Haven Junction–Naira Triangle–Emene Airport; Ogui Road–Chime Avenue–Naira Triangle; and New Haven Junction–Bisala Road–Rangers Avenue–WAEC–Nkpokiti–Zik’s Avenue.

Others are Ogui Road–Presidential Road–WAEC–Nkpokiti and the entire Agbani Road stretch.

With the designated routes, our correspondent reports that it means that apart from private vehicles, commercial transportation within the State capital has been taken over by the state government.

According to the commissioner, the roads will become dedicated BRT routes in line with Governor Peter Mbah’s vision to reposition Enugu as a modern, multimodal and globally competitive city.

He however stressed that taxis will also be allowed to ply the BRT routes.

He, argued that tricycles were never designed for high-speed highways, stressing that their presence on such routes disrupts traffic flow and puts lives at risk.

“This reform is not about taking anyone’s job. It is about reorganizing the system so that BRT buses operate on the primary roads, yellow buses serve the secondary routes, and tricycles provide last-mile connectivity. Everyone has a place in the value chain,” he said.

Ozor said that the government has procured 200 CNG-powered BRT buses, alongside 4,000 electric taxis to be assembled locally at ANAMMCO in Enugu, with the first 1,000 taxis ready within three months.

He stated that Enugu, with an estimated two million daily commuters, requires at least 8,000 buses to meet mobility demands. The new BRT buses, he added, are equipped with padded seats, functional air-conditioning, WiFi, and strict safety features.

He further explained that the Ije Card, the state’s electronic fare payment system designed to make commuting faster, cashless, and more convenient, will be decentralized so that sales points reach five million residents within 90 days.

The Enugu State Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Chidiebere Aniagu, stated that the union was not opposed to the reforms and shares the government’s vision for a safer and more efficient transportation system.

His counterpart in the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr Augustine Agu, urged the government to consider the union interest in operating the BRT buses and transport terminals, insisting that they have all it takes to perform creditably.

Comrade Kingsley Edeh, speaking for the Amalgamated Tricycle Riders Association in Enugu State, noted that there are 18,000 tricycle riders in the state, and appealed for taxis to be made available as alternatives for riders who may wish to switch.

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