Toritseju Vincent
Lagos — Maritime stakeholders have expressed concern over the absence of a signal station and barriers at the Dockyard-Nigerian Navy base train level crossing, saying that the situation pose danger to the rail and port users.
They lamented that another train accident may be looming at the Dockyard Road Rail Line due to the absence of a signal station, arguing that absence of the equipment has become a hindrance to traffic management in that particular level crossing.
Recall that in March of this year, a train collided with a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) at the PWD bus stop in Ikeja Lagos killing and injuring many people.
Speaking on the development, a former General Manager, Security at the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Capt Ihenacho Ebubeogu, said there’s need to fix the problem to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.
He said: “We need to understand that rail and road are two land transport modes, and you agree with me that we have stayed for a long time without rail. It is something that is gradually building up as a mode of transport. A lot of people have forgotten that rail is there; they only saw a vestige of it. Right now, the thing is coming up which means there is now the need for us to make sure that rail as a mode of transport co-exists well with road transport.
“One of the points where you will have transport conflict is at the level crossing but because it is known by these two modes of transport and their managers, there is always a barricade, whistle and signal stopping road transport for train to pass. Train is always given a priority. That is not what the case is now with so many level crossings. One of them is the accident we had at Ikeja recently and the second that may happen soon is the one on Dockyard Road. The case of Dockyard Road in Apapa is important for it to be addressed now because the vehicular movement, including ones conveying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), around that level crossing is very dangerous.
“We should not allow such thing to happen there. The second point is that you have tank farms lined up along Dockyard Road. Those tank farms are supposed to evacuate their products by rail. The rail is there now, plans must be made to ensure that certain percentage of the products of these tank farms go by rail so that the corridor is not congested. The human traffic around that corridor is too high. So, if there is any accident, the casualty will be too high because there will be so many losses of lives and injuries.”
One of the signal officers, Mr. Sunday Oyewole, said that the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, had visited the Dockyard level crossing to see how a barrier could be built as soon as possible.
On the absence of barriers on the level crossing, the signal officer disclosed that the absence of the equipment has become an hindrance to traffic management in that particular level crossing.
Another Signal Officer, Mr. Alabi Kareem, said that besides the absence of the barriers, they also lack safety gears like reflective jackets, umbrella, raincoats and boots which they need during the raining season.
Reacting to the development, spokesman for the NRC, Mr. Yakub Mahmood, said that the issues raised by the signal officers are gradually being addressed, adding that Nigeria does not plan ahead for the future.
Mahmood corroborated the claims of the signal officers, saying that the signal station had to be demolished so as to give way for the modernization of the rail line running through that axis.
He said: “That cubicle (Signal Station) was there before now but due to modernization, that rail track affected their cubicle. It will be rebuilt, there is no two ways about. It must be rebuilt.
“The modernization and extension of the rail tracks is not only in Lagos, but also a project that cuts across the country.
“The NRC is very futuristic about its operations; rail transport will be automated such that we will not need train drivers as the trains will be driver-less.
“People will sit somewhere and operate the trains. Even the vehicular movement will also be aware of this. Vehicular movements will stop without being told.
“The attitude and mentality of our people also have to change to traffic rules and regulations.”
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