…Over 10 Heavy-Duty Trucks impounded during Initial Operation
In a resolute and uncompromising pursuit of public safety, infrastructural preservation, and adherence to extant traffic ordinances, the Lagos State Government has inaugurated a rigorous enforcement campaign targeting articulated vehicles and heavy-duty trucks brazenly violating statutory access restrictions on the Third Mainland Bridge.
The enforcement operation, which commenced in earnest over the weekend with impoundment of over 10 trucks, was formally announced by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Honourable Sola Giwa, who underscored the administration’s unwavering determination to uphold regulatory sanctity, safeguard critical infrastructure, and protect the motoring public from avoidable hazards.
According to Hon. Giwa, this intervention follows a sustained period of stakeholder engagement, public sensitization, and issuance of formal advisories reiterating the proscription of articulated vehicles above 9 tones from traversing the Third Mainland Bridge—a structure of strategic urban significance that has recently undergone major rehabilitation. Despite these precautionary overtures, certain recalcitrant operators have continued to flout these directives, thereby endangering both human lives and the structural integrity of the bridge.
"The Third Mainland Bridge is categorically excluded from the list of permissible routes for some articulated vehicles. This restriction is clearly enshrined in the law, and non-compliance will be met with decisive sanctions. Officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have begun a full-scale enforcement operation, and defaulters will be apprehended and penalized without exemption,” he asserted.
Hon. Giwa further revealed that the bridge serving as a principal arterial link between the Lagos Mainland and the Island's commercial nerve centres—has now been augmented with cutting-edge surveillance infrastructure, including precision-engineered, high-definition speed enforcement cameras.
These systems are strategically deployed to monitor vehicular compliance, detect infractions in real time, and deter errant behaviour.
"The deployment of these technologically advanced monitoring tools is a critical component of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s broader strategy to entrench road safety, prevent structural fatigue, and engender responsible driving behaviour—particularly on high-risk corridors such as this bridge,” he noted.
Pursuant to prevailing traffic statutes and regulatory frameworks promulgated by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, the movement of articulated trucks and similar heavy vehicular platforms across select bridges—especially during peak operational hours—remains expressly prohibited. This policy is aimed at averting structural overstrain, minimizing accident potential, and alleviating traffic bottlenecks.
Hon. Giwa emphasized that the enforcement initiative is not punitive in nature, but a methodical, lawful response calibrated to protect the common good, extend the functional lifespan of public infrastructure, and promote seamless traffic flow across the metropolis.
He issued a stern admonition to stakeholders within the logistics and freight sectors including fleet operators and articulated vehicle owners to comply unequivocally with the designated traffic matrix and legally prescribed operational corridors. He warned that any continued infraction, whether by ignorance or wilful defiance, will attract the full weight of legal reprisal.
"The period of indulgence is over. Ample sensitization has been undertaken, and the regulatory position is unambiguous. Any truck operator found flouting the prohibition will have their vehicle impounded immediately, and appropriate sanctions will be enforced in line with the law,” he declared.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in execution of this directive, has recalibrated its operational focus and intensified its surveillance and enforcement protocols. This re-energized posture underscores the State’s steadfast resolve to re-establish discipline, mitigate infrastructural abuse, and elevate safety standards across all traffic corridors.
Members of the public particularly those operating within the haulage and logistics value chain—are hereby enjoined to cooperate fully with enforcement personnel and to internalize the guiding principles of civic responsibility, as these regulations are fundamentally geared towards the collective wellbeing of all Lagosians.
This initiative is a core facet of the State Government’s comprehensive traffic reform agenda, encapsulated within the visionary THEMES+ policy architecture—focusing on Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, and Security and Governance
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