CITIZENS COMPASS – To discourage unnecessary gridlock around filling stations, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has cautioned motorists queuing up for fuel at different filling stations not to cause traffic congestion and hinder other road users.
LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba said this on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, while deploying more officers on monitoring traffic around filling stations including other traffic-prone areas across the State.
Mr. Oreagba disclosed that the deployment became imperative following reports of long queues around filling stations caused by motorists parking indiscriminately and blocking roads while queuing up to buy fuel.
Oreagba expressed displeasure at the disorderly behaviour of some drivers, who queue up haphazardly around filling stations disrupting the free flow of traffic.
He urged petrol attendants and marketers to ensure that products are sold in an orderly manner so as not to infringe on the right of other road users using the right of way.
In his words, “Buying fuel is not an excuse to block and impede traffic flow across the State. In as much as we want our roads to be free, we do not want fuel queues to constitute a burden for other road users across the State”.
The General Manager reiterated that efficient traffic management has remained crucial in the attainment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s seamless multi-modal transportation system in Lagos.
He equally advised motorists including members of the public against unsafe fuel storage inside vehicles, homes, markets and workplaces.
“Landlords and tenants should shun inappropriate storage of fuel at homes and public places. Filling Stations must equally avoid dispensing fuel in polythene bags to avoid scuffle that can spark off a fire incident”, Oreagba advised.
He maintained that the public needs to be cautioned against the possibility of a fire outbreak or explosion if there is a source of ignition such as a naked flame or an electrical spark near the stored petrol.
