The Lagos State Government has announced that it will temporarily shut down train services of the newly inaugurated Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15, for switch from locomotive to electricity.
The brief closure of the Blue Rail Line is also to help in the transition of increasing the train trips from 12 to 54 on Monday, October 16, with plans to increase to 74 trips by the end of November.
This disclosure is contained in a public statement issued on Wednesday by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, through his official X (former Twitter) account, where he stated that the momentary pause is to ensure that the safety of all passengers is top priority.
In the post, the Governor said: “Dear Lagosians, “Here is an important update on our metro line. Starting Monday, October 16, 2023, we’re increasing train trips on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line from 12 to 54, with plans for 74 trips by the end of November.
“To make this transition, we’ll need to shut down train services on Saturday, October 14 after the morning peak service and for the entire day on Sunday, October 15, for the switch to electricity. This momentary pause is to ensure that your safety is our top priority.
“I can assure you that suspending passenger operations is a global practice to effect major changes. This switch to electricity will help us introduce more trips and help us serve more passengers safely.
“I’m proud to say that we launched the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line on September 4, 2023 and we have moved over 80,000 passengers. Our goal is to surpass 150,000 daily passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in the coming months.
“The future of Lagos trains is bright, and I’m committed to improving your commuting experience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance our public transportation system.”
