The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Monday, said it had mobilised enough regular and special marshals for traffic control and management during the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Ogun and Lagos states, Mr Imoh Etuk, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), appealed to motorists to be patient to avoid a chaotic situation.
Etuk, who noted that the corps was carrying out a test-run of traffic control on the bridge, said that officers and men of the corps would be professional in ensuring free flow of traffic.
“We should not forget, very soon the Third Mainland Bridge will be partially closed for rehabilitation for a while, though our men are prepared, however, we want members of the motoring public to also be on the same page with the corps.
“Road users need to obey simple traffic regulations that will be in place, and all the detours that will be made available, to ensure free movement of traffic. We want them to be sane.
“We know that the traffic situation is not going to be a child’s play with the partial closure, even if it will be only for a day not to talk of six months.
“We will keep having discussions before the time, we are doing a test-run to ensure that people do the needful, because it is going to be hectic.
“We have mobilised men from all the units and sector to tackle the problems, but we need the cooperation of road users in obeying all regulations and in being patient during this period,” Etuk said.
He said that the Sector Commander in Lagos, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, had been having series of meetings with all relevant bodies to ensure that no one slept on the road.
According to him, the corps is still strategising and educating the motorists.
The FRSC official, however, assured residents that regular and special Marshals of the corps would do the needful professionally, and be on top of the situation.
“We will ensure that officers continue with the professionalism that the corps in known for, to ensure that our people do the needful for robust traffic control and public enlightenment, especially in the COVID-19 era.
“We will ensure that all the safety protocols are followed and that our men come down hard on those that overload their vehicles and people that do not obey simple traffic rules and regulations.
“I am charging the transport union to be on the same page with the Federal Road Safety Corps in the quest to ensure that we have sanity on our roads.
“Our men will be there to ensure traffic control, but we must be obey the traffic rules and regulations,” he added.
Etuk, who cautioned against overloading of vehicles, advised motorists to adhere strictly to COVID-19 transport guidelines.
NAN reports that the rehabilitation of the bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works, expected to last six months from July 24, is to fix worn out expansion joints.
