Governor Sanwo-Olu made the announcement at the Lagos State Parking Authority, LASPA, Stakeholders Forum themed: “Parking in Lagos, the journey so far – Assessing the social and economic impact of the industry” held at GRA, Ikeja.

He said the Red Line rail, which runs from Agbado in Ogun State and terminates at the Oyingbo area of Lagos, was one of the integrated mass transit corridors in the state in line with his administration’s THEMES+ Developmental Agenda.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said his administration, which was intentional and unrelenting in its efforts to address all traffic issues in the state, had identified indiscriminate parking as one of the major challenges of the free flow of traffic.

He said the Lagos State Parking Policy, which came into being with the establishment of the Lagos State Parking Authority, LASPA, was to regulate all forms of parking by adopting innovative, adaptable, and sustainable operational systems and technologies.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, while reiterating his administration’s zero-tolerance policy for the flouting of rules and regulations guiding the Lagos transport sector, urged all stakeholders in the sector to comply with the Lagos State Parking Policy in the renewed and intentional effort to curb indiscriminate parking in the state.

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He said: “We have adopted a model that ensures a win-win situation between the State and Local Governments. Lagos has already shown that this kind of state-LGA partnership can work, through the establishment of LASAA, and the Land Use Charge, and we are now set to showcase the same with the Lagos State Parking Authority.

“Therefore, the Local Governments in Lagos State, under the Conference 57 umbrella, and Mr. Kolade Alabi, the National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), are our strategic partners in this renewed effort to regulate parking across the State.

“Just recently, we approved the On-Street parking scheme, to regulate the existing roadside parking and checkmate haphazard parking in line with global best practices. We are utilising existing major roads suitable to accommodate On-Street parking, and to create additional parking spaces, especially in areas with high parking traffic.

“The On-Street parking scheme, as with most of our projects, is being done in partnership with the private sector, and we will continue to explore the Public Private Partnership model to benefit from its effectiveness in delivering high-quality service to meet the needs of our increasing population.”

Speaking earlier, the LASPA General Manager, Mrs. Adebisi Adelabu, said parking management was on the centre stage towards meeting the target of traffic management of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

Adelabu urged all stakeholders to work with LASPA in its effort to rid Lagos of parking-induced gridlocks, through the effective implementation of the Lagos State Parking Policy.

She said: “As you are all aware traffic management and transportation is the first pillar of the THEMES+ agenda of the Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu-led administration. It might interest you to know that Parking management takes centre stage in the actualisation of this objective, as it is practically impossible to venture into traffic management without putting into consideration the issue of parking management.

“Our mandate is clear and we are resolute in pursuit of excellence in its actualisation in line with global best practices. We are fully empowered and also intentional about operating a more efficient and sustainable parking management system in line with the administration’s THEMES+ agenda to move Lagos State towards a 21st-century economy.

“We have a vision and are not unaware of the challenges to achieving it, but we are resolute in the pursuit of our goals and objectives towards the actualisation of this vision. This vision aims to achieve excellence in how Lagos State parking policies are envisioned and developed in line with the best global practices for a modern, efficient and sustainably managed parking system towards reducing congestion, disruption, improved road safety and changing travel behaviour.”

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Governor Sanwo-Olu completed the acquisition deal of the trains at a public event inside the Milwaukee facilities of Spanish train manufacturer Talgo Incorporated in the United States, on Tuesday.

The trains will be heading to Lagos, Nigeria for the Red Line, a 37 km track rail project started by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The red line will have 11 stations and when completed, it will be the first operational metro system in West Africa.

Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde; Special Adviser to the Governor on Works, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye and Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, said Lagos State government was excited to complete the purchase of the two brand new trains.

He said they were in Milwaukee to see things for themselves in respect of the purchase of the trains, adding that they had inspected the trains, seen their configuration and were satisfied that they fit into the tracks of the Red line in Lagos.

“A train is not something you can just go on the shelf and pick up. We are very lucky to get brand new trains. We have seen our beautiful white and red trains. Coincidentally, the rail line is called Red Line and you can see they have given us the colour. We are just going to brand it and put up our seal there.

“We hope that this (purchase of the trains) will be the beginning of a mutually beneficial business relationship. Providing source of livelihood for our citizens is all about providing jobs for our people and that is what we are doing. It is about ensuring that we can build our economy; people can move from one location to another and businesses can grow.

“Part of what we have done in the last two and half years is to have what we call Integrated Urban Mass transportation system, where we will be using road infrastructure, waterway infrastructure and rail infrastructure so that we can move over 20 million Lagosians within and around the city,” he said.

The acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who received Governor Sanwo-Olu in the city, said: “It is a little bittersweet. I am sending my congratulations to the Governor of Lagos State in Nigeria, but also a little disappointed that we missed out on the opportunity to have those train sets operating here in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin.”

Also speaking the CEO and President, Talgo USA Antonio Perez, said “For us, it is important that our trains are utilised. It doesn’t make any good for the trains that we built to be stored and kept without passengers riding them.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu accompanied by the Lagos State delegation during the visit inspected the interior design of the newly acquired Talgo 330kmph intra-city metropolitan trains.

Since the commencement of his administration on May 29, 2019, Governor Sanwo-Olu has maintained his administration’s commitment to bringing the Red Line project to fruition during the lifetime of his government.

The governor has specifically promised Lagosians that first phase of the Red Line will begin by the last quarter of 2022 or first quarter of 2023, with a capacity of 500,000 passengers daily.

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