Heavy Gridlock as Container, Fuel Tanker Block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Thousands of vehicles and commuters were, on Saturday, trapped for more than three hours  in a heavy gridlock on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

THE CONCLAVE gathered that the gridlock which spanned Mowe to Ogere was caused by a container which fell off its carrier and a fuel tanker near Horizon Industries, Ogere.

Some of the commuters who had been in the heavy traffic congestion since 10 am expressed displeasure at the rate at which heavy duty trucks create avoidable traffic jams on the route.

Some impatient commuters who turned back to use the other lane equally worsened the situation as they drove against traffic and caused congestion therein.

The influx of vehicles plying both lanes to navigate their destinations inward and outward the expressway created a backlog of traffic that trapped many motorists, some of whom were returning from various religious centres on the route.

The apparently exasperated commuters who needed to disembark from their vehicles and trekked several kilometers had no choice than to patronise roadside hawkers particularly those selling cold drinks in order to cool off the hot weather.

Some of the hawkers were happy that they did not need to rush after customers as the commuters only had to beckon on them for cold drinks.

About 1:36pm, traffic management officials on Ogere axis succeeded in clearing one lane which gave commuters a glimmer of hope after several hours of being trapped in the gridlock.

Some of the commuters called on government to implement stringent rules on heavy-duty trucks plying the road.

They called for the creation of a dedicated lane for heavy-duty trucks so as to ensure seamless travel on the route.