Parts of the rail service in Lagos, Nigeria are going electric in a bid to ease traffic congestion.

Thew Lagos Metropolitan Area Rail Service has drafted two electric trains into service on its new light rail system, reports ESI-Africa. Road users in the city of 20 million residents can spend up to 30 hours in traffic each week.

The two new train sets started operating on the Lagos Mass Rail Transit (LMRT) Blue Line between Marina and Mile 2 on 16 October, with a round trip taking less than an hour. The train sets will make 54 trips daily at 30 minute intervals, and will increase to 74 by the end of November.

The Blue Line is one of six rail lines and one monorail envisaged for the state of Lagos in its rail master plan. Once the entire project is complete, the system is expected to carry 500 000 passengers a day.

31 October 2023
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