When the Lagos State Government announced that the third mainland bridge would be closed to traffic for another round of maintenance that is to last five months i.e. July –November 2012, Lagos residents who work and live on the Lagos Island and its environs had severe agitation over anticipated hardship. The closure of the third mainland bridge can be used by the Lagos State Government to once again promote the Green-Lagos initiative intended to encourage Lagosians to make use of the BRT buses. Therefore there is urgent need for the State government to increase the number of these buses on the road. It has been observed that the number of cars plying the central business district on Lagos Island in recent times has reduced since the commencement of the third mainland bridge maintenance as well as traffic gridlock in the area and this saves people time that would have been lost due to traffic. However, the fares charged by ferry operators have been on the increase and the problem of overloading the vessels is also another course of concern. Observers are of the opinion that the abundant inland waters in Lagos should be utilized by the State Government for as viable alternative means of transportation. Water hyacinth on the water ways should be cleared to enhance movement of boats and ferries. Though the services of the BRT buses are not helping the situation. Recently at Oshodi bus stop, passengers were stranded for hours waiting for buses to convey them to the Island.

During the fourth Lagos State Climate Change Conference held in April, the General Manager of the Lagos State Environment Protection Agency LASEPA Engineer Ashabi recommended car-pooling as a means of reducing carbon emission in the State. Car-pooling involves the use of a vehicle by more than one occupant going towards the same direction. This reduces the number of vehicles on the roads thereby reducing carbon emission from these cars and increasing the life span of the roads and improving the air quality. I have observed that Lagosians who live on the mainland but work on the Island have gradually started car-pooling. This help save cost of transportation for the people involved and they could rotate cars from one person to another to reduce the use of a particular car all through. “When you decide to drive to the office in the morning, the traffic on the other alternative routes are so much that your fuel will finish while you are in traffic” said Mrs. Chioma Okafor who work in a private company in Victoria Island. “What I do these days is to follow my neighbors in their cars to CMS and enter a taxi from there to the office and same thing when returning home after work”. Mutiu Adeniran who lives in Shomolu but work with a bank on the Island said the closure of the third mainland bridge has changed his work schedule. “I no longer drive in my car to the office on the Island but make use of the BRT buses, which saves me some money but the government needs to do something about the state of those buses. They are now looking like molue buses where Fela said thirty-nine seating ninety-nine standing”, he explained.

Lagos Island host most of the business interest of the State as multi-national companies, banks and markets are all located there. When the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) scheme was launched under the Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration, the aim was to provide a safe, fast and cheaper means of transportation for the ever increasing Lagos populace. Also it was assumed that with a dedicated lane for the BRT buses, they would not be caught up in the usual early morning traffic rush. According to Governor Fashola “we wanted a culture where Lagosians would park their cars, board a BRT bus to work and pick their cars at the end of the day. This was why some BRT bus stations were built with car park facilities like in Moshalasi and Ketu BRT Park. Through the use of BRT bus it was expected that carbon emission would be reduced as this contribute to global warming and result in climate change. The State Government decided to add more bus schemes like the Lag Buses and franchise bus services with more routes across the State. Over the years the BRT buses had become dilapidated with the buses always crowded while the Lag buses still maintained its decent look.

The third mainland bridge was constructed in 1987 under the military administration of General Ibrahim Babaginda and it is believed to be the longest bridge in Africa. The bridge connects the Lagos mainland starting from the Ojota end of the default toll-gate to Obalende. Most Lagosians use the bridge to connect the Lagos Island and its environs which is the central business district of the old Lagos. The State Government can inculcate the “green transport idea” in Lagosians by improving transportation on land and sea, make more profit and still safe the environment as the rate of carbon emission would reduce.