Some travelers in Ibadan, Oyo State capital
have appealed to the Federal Government
to acquire bigger coaches for the test-run
service of the Nigerian Railway Corporation
(NRC) new Standard Gauge services.
The passengers who benefited from the free
train ride offered by the NRC made the
appeal while speaking to the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ibadan.
This they believed would ease the pressure
on Lagos/Ibadan Express Way.
NAN reports that the ongoing Ibadan Lagos
test run service which commenced Dec. 3 is
faster than the old Narrow Guage.
Mr Abisogun Gboyega, a civil engineer, said
that the test run service was a nice initiative
by the railway service which could be better
improved upon.
“I am taking this trip because of my
daughter who wants to have a travel by
train experience.
“The cabins are very conducive and
ultramodern but there are conveniences
that must come with the services.
“When we got here, we had to wait in the
open space with dust and under the sun.
“One would expect that there should be a
reception bay and conveniences in the
waiting area, even mobile ones.
“Also the coaches can only carry 40
passengers each, which apparently is a VIP
coach, I would look forward to coaches that
can take 500 passengers each on a trip at a
reasonable cost
“This will greatly reduce the pressure on our
roads and reduce road accident rates,” he
said.
Another Ibadan resident, Mrs Oluwaseun
Disu, who said she was taking the test run
service for a second time, said that the
ticket were given on first come first serve
basis.
“The experience has been wonderful, but to
benefit from the free ticket which is given to
you as you come, you have to come as early
as 5 a.m.
“It is an opportunity to meet more people,
there is no traffic, no disturbances and no
road accidents and I think this should be
readily available throughout the country.
“Government should employ more people
to make this a sustainable,” she said.
A Chief Traffic Officer, Movement and
Logistics NRC, Mr Akinlade Sunday said
NRC had to turn back many people because
of the number of available spaces.
“The experience since this test run started
has been so good.
“Unfortunately, however, we could not
carry the number of passengers that came
because of the limited coaches we have.
“We hope that soon all our teething
problems will be resolved,” he said.
NAN correspondent who went on the trip
observed that there were two coaches with a
40 passenger capacity each.
There were more people than the available
spaces and the coaches were filled.
The route of the speed train line, which
went through Ibadan-Omi Adio- Olodo-
Abeokuta- Agbado-Agege making a final
destination in Lagos took off at 9 a.m took
two hours and thirty minutes.
