The Lagos State Government has set an ambitious target to significantly reduce carbon emissions and enhance sustainability in public transportation by aiming for 52% of the buses in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to be fuelled by clean energy by 2050.
This initiative is part of the recently unveiled Lagos State Transport Policy, which aims to ensure that the city’s transport system minimizes environmental impact.
According to Section 4.15: Environment, Climate Change, and Infrastructure Resilience, this plan, alongside efforts to reduce car trips to 2% of total trips of all travel and increase the use of biodiesel in freight vehicles by 2050, forms part of the broader Climate Action Plan to achieve a sustainable transport system in Lagos State.
The section of the policy further reveals that the Lagos State Government has already begun converting some BRT buses to run on gas fuel. This effort is expected to intensify, with new buses purchased by Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL) and private sector operators also expected to be gas-propelled.
“The Government has already commenced work on the conversion of some of the BRT buses to the use of gas fuel.
“This effort is expected to be intensified with new buses purchased by Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL) and the private sector operators expected to be gas propelled,” a portion of the policy read.
The Lagos State Government, in line with its vision to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution, plans to explore the potential of electrifying BRT buses, the policy also noted.
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The Lagos State Transport Policy, particularly Table 5.1: Recommended Implementation Timeline for Key Actions, outlines a detailed plan to adopt cleaner fuels in the transport system.
- Within the next two years, Lagos State will review the recommendations from the ongoing World Bank study on cleaner fuel strategies for Nigeria’s transport sector.
- The state will establish its position on these recommendations, prepare a roadmap for implementation, and approve the necessary legislative and administrative frameworks.
- Additionally, the Lagos State Government will monitor the lessons learned from converting some BRT diesel buses to gas operation. It will identify and implement priority public transport routes for cleaner buses and begin procuring and operating new cleaner vehicles for public transport, including BRT and other modes.
- For the period between the next two to five years, the Lagos State Transport Policy indicates that the state will start implementing the agreed plans and strategies for using cleaner vehicles in public transport operations.
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