Lagos and Ibadan train passengers will soon heave a sigh of relief as the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, plans to increase the daily train trips on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail from two to six.
Augustine Arisa, Railway District Manager, RDM for Lagos disclosed this in an interview with journalists in his office.
He said four more trains, two each from Lagos and Ibadan, would be added as soon as ongoing work on the telecommunication facility was completed.
He added that the facility would ensure smooth communication between the train driver and the control tower.
Arisa spoke just as the corporation opened for operation, two recently completed train stations along the route, Ijoko and Papalanto.
He said: “We currently run two return trips on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line. I want to run six trains daily when the telecommunication facility is fully ready.
“I also want to move more containers from the port. This will no doubt positively affect the prices of goods in the market.
“It’s a lot of trailers that will be taken off the road. In the long run, it makes the products being carried cheaper for the final consumers/ buyers.
“The double issue of accumulated demurrage and port congestion will also be solved with the evacuation of cargoes by rail. It saves the importer the cost of demurrage and ultimately makes the goods cheaper.”
