- The Red Line Mass Transit Train Service in Lagos has been temporarily suspended
- A message from the operators revealed that mechanical issues have led to the suspension of the Red Line service
- An official update regarding its resumption is yet to be issued by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA)
Operations on the Red Line Mass Transit Train Service (LRMT) have been temporarily suspended by the Lagos State Government until further notice.
A message from the Red Line operators on the LRMT WhatsApp channel last Monday, December 2, before the suspension indicated that only the morning service would be affected, while the afternoon service would continue to operate.
The message read, “Please note that only the 5:20 pm and 6:50 pm train from Oyingbo and 6:40 pm train from Agbado will run today.” The message on the WhatsApp channel, according to reports, was taken down by the operator last Friday.
On Tuesday night, the operator confirmed that the Red Line service could not be operated as promised in the earlier chat.
“We sincerely apologise for the cancellation of service this evening, which was due to mechanical faults. Kindly note that the train will not be operating tomorrow and until further notice. We deeply regret this situation,” the message read.
An official statement regarding the suspension and the expected resumption of the Red Line Rail operations is yet to be issued by the operator, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
When Red Line was launched by Tinubu
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially launched the Red Line service on February 29, with operations beginning eight months later on October 15. The service started with two morning and two evening trips, totalling four shuttles per day.
At the launch of the Red Line operation, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu promised Lagosians efficient train service with reduced travel times of 30 to 45 minutes for end-to-end journeys.
He also pledged that the state government would channel resources to expanding Red Line Rail services to meet the growing needs of commuters.
“Today marks the launch of commercial operations of the LMRT Red Line, commencing passenger services from Agbado to Oyingbo,” the governor said.
“We are on a mission to keep Lagos moving, and the Red Line is a key part of our vision to create a seamlessly connected city. This is also our second rail system to become operational in less than two years,” Sanwo-Olu added.
Governor Sanwo-Olu seeks investors for $1.9 billion Lagos-Ogun rail project
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Governor Sanwo-Olu sought investors for a transformative purple and green rail line connecting Lagos and Ogun states.
According to the report, $866.05 million was required immediately for survey, design, and civil works, $602.81 million was needed in the short-to-medium term.