The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, also known as ‘Aayalolo Express,’ which started Monday in some selected areas of Accra, has been temporarily suspended following concerns raised over the use of unlicensed and unregistered buses.
The BRT service commenced pilot operations on Monday with nine buses.
One of the green buses, which plied one of four designated routes – Amasaman to Achimota to Circle and then to Tudu – was mostly seen without passengers.
Some of the commuters, who spoke to BUSINESS GUIDE, said they refused to board the buses because they were unlicensed, adding that the piloting was a bit premature.
Officials of the BRT told journalists that the services were suspended on Tuesday to enable them train the drivers on how to use the system to facilitate non-obstructive communication between them and passengers.
The piloting is expected to resume today, Wednesday, September 28, 2016 after the buses have been insured and licensed.
Sampson Gyamenah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), said the BRT would be rolled out commercially in October this year.
Drivers threaten demo
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Some commercial drivers in the Accra metropolis have threatened to embark on strike to protest against the introduction of the BRT service.
According to them, the BRT could eventually drive them out of business.
Backdrop
The BRT is under the Urban Transport Project (UTP) of the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
It is jointly funded by the World Bank, the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), Government of Ghana and the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund at a cost of $95 million.
It is being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Department of Urban Roads.
The process towards the implementation of the BRT started in 2007 when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in power.
Between 2008 and 2009, it faced many difficulties, key among them being the stiff resistance from private transport operators.
In the early part of the NDC administration under late President John Evans Atta Mills, a team of government officials and some selected journalists were sent to Columbia to go and learn about the operations of the BRT in that country.
By Cephas Larbi
cephrok@yahoo.com