Lagos Govt Suspends Red Line Train Operations Indefinitely, Cites Mechanical Issues

The Lagos State Government has indefinitely suspended operations on its Red Line Mass Transit Train Service (LRMT), a project that is part of the ₦100 billion Greater Lagos Urban Transportation Project.

The Red Line, which commenced operations on October 15, 2024, after being commissioned by President Bola Tinubu in February, was expected to provide critical relief to Lagos commuters.

The suspension followed a series of mechanical failures last Monday, which disrupted the train service during its morning peak operations.

Initially, the operators of the Red Line, First Metro, had assured passengers via WhatsApp channel that the afternoon service would proceed as scheduled, announcing: “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.”

However, by 9:19 pm on the same day, the operator confirmed its inability to resume service, apologising to passengers and announcing a full suspension.

“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,” read the message.

The Red Line initially ran four daily shuttles, with two trains each during the morning and evening peaks along its 27-kilometre first phase.

Its development was funded under the guidance of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

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