Report says Lagos not among world’s worst cities

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

A report by the World Traffic Index 2017 says Lagos, Africa’s largest mega-city, is not among the world’s worst cities with the historic record of traffic congestion.

At least, 360 cities were measures in the traffic congestion report which cut across 48 countries globally and was issued by TomTom, a global leader in traffic management, navigation and mapping products.

According to the report, Africa recorded a 15 percent increase in traffic congestion between 2015 and 2016; North America, 5 percent, Europe, 9 percent, Asia & Oceania, 12 percent and South America, 7 percent.

The reported added that while Africa at large recorded a 15 percent rise in traffic congestion, there is a 10 percent rise in global traffic congestion between 2015 and 2016, but Lagos was unlisted among cities with the worst cases of traffic congestion within the same period.

Also, Mexico City in Mexico, was ranked the world’s worst city with drivers expecting to spend an average of 66 percent extra travel time stuck in traffic anytime of the day and up to 101percent in the evening peak periods versus a free flow, or uncongested situation.

The report ranked further ranked Bangkok in Thailand with an average of extra travel time of 61 percent, Jakarta in Indonesia with 58 percent, Chongqing in China with 52 percent and Bucharest in Romania 50 percent, making up the top five most congested cities in the world.

Other cities with the worst cases of extra travel time include Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, 47 percent, Beijing in China 46 percent, Los Angeles in the US 45 percent, Moscow in Russia 44 percent, Santiago in Chile, 43 percent, Buenos Aires in Brazil 42 percent, St. Petersburg in Russia 41 percent, Salvador inEl Salvador, 40 percent and London in the UK 40 percent.

Lagos is working-Ayorinde

Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, while reacting to the report on Sunday said the fact that Lagos was not ranked with the cities with the worst cases of traffic congestion showed that the strategy of Governor Akinwunmi was indeed working.

He commissioner said Ambode’s approach to traffic management in the last two years had been creative and outstanding, which had pulled Lagos out of the worst 15 cities with traffic issues in the world.

“When Ambode assumed office in 2015, Ayorinde said his administration was confronted with intractable traffic congestion, which compelled the governor “to convene a 2015 summit in the same year. The summit has indeed provided insight into the root causes of the state’s traffic congestion,” he said.

He stated that after the 2015 traffic summit, the governor introduced lay-bys and slip roads “to knotty areas; removed roundabouts along Lekki Epe expressway and replaced them with signalised lights.”

Ayorinde added that Ambode approved the construction of foot bridges at Berger among other traffic areas to ensure free flow of traffic, while also adding to the number of officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) for the first time in ten years.

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