The Lekki Concession Company, the manager of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, has offered frequent users of the road passing through the Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza up to 50 percent toll discount on its e-tag.
This, according to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the LCC, Mr. Mohammed Hassan, is to encourage more motorists to use the e-tag booth at the toll gate and free the arena of traffic congestion.
The LCC CEO, who spoke in Lagos on Thursday at a press briefing signalling the commencement of new tolls introduced at the plaza and the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza, also commented on the unusual gridlock noticed at the Admiralty plaza.
He said the toll discount, planned extension of the road expansion up to Eleko Beach Junction and other amenities were some of the incentives for users of the expressway.
Hassan said, “With e-tag, you are entitled to 10-50 percent discount. The e-tag entitles you to 10 percent discount. If you are a loyal motorist, we give you 50 percent discount. This makes motorists happy because they pay less and move faster.”
According to him, the e-tag is not elitist and has been made available for individuals, corporate organizations and commercial vehicle drivers.
“Motorists can get the e-tag and load it up to whatever capacity they can afford; it is not elitist. The loading process has also been made easy because it can be done on our website and through payment channels, instead of coming down to our offices,” he said.
The company had last Friday announced the introduction of the new tolls on both plazas taking effect from Thursday.
It said the upward review followed “extensive consultations held with stakeholders in the Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway of Lagos State,” adding that the increase was as a result of current economic and business realities adversely affecting the cost of operations and maintenance of its loan obligations.
It also said with a marginal increase from N80 to N100 for mini-commuter buses, it had the assurances of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the area that there would be no increase in transport fares for those using the route.
Speaking on the unusual traffic witnessed at the toll plaza on Thursday, Hassan said it was expected on the first day of implementing the new tolls.
For more Logistics News, Follow us on TWITTER Follow us on FACEBOOK
He, however, said, “Before the toll increase, this is not the first time we are experiencing traffic at the plazas and we have a way of handling it. Each time we see traffic and it is too long, we open up (plaza) to give free passage to motorists. We do this for about 10 – 30 minutes to ease traffic, and thereafter, we continue with the normal process.”
With reports from Punch
