The Greater Accra Passenger and Transport Executive (GAPTE), managers of the Aayalolo buses, are to implement a contraflow system for the easy flow of buses on some selected roads.
A contraflow system provides for traffic lane that flows against normal traffic.
“We are talking about a system which would enable the buses to move contrary to the original flow of traffic to allow the buses to arrive at their destinations faster,” Mr. Rudolph Beckley, a board member at GAPTE said in an interview with Citi News.
Mr. Beckley further said that the contraflow system will commence on the Amasaman-Tudu corridor after an inspection exercise to identify the shortfalls with the transport system.
“On the Amasaman corridor, we have identified sections where we would be needing what we call a contraflow section to facilitate the movement of the bus,” Mr. Beckley said.
Mr. Beckley stated that these measures will be deployed before the end of September 2019.
The planned contraflow system will follow GAPTE’s troubled implementation of the Bus Rapid System (BRT) in 2016.
The infrastructural challenges led to a downgrade from the BRT to the Quality Bus System.
The Aayalolo bus service came to a halt in October 2018 due to financial and technical hitches.
Over 150 Aayalolo buses were grounded at the Achimota Bus terminal in Accra.
Aside the low patronage which was quite high when the service commenced in 2016, many of the drivers went on a strike action due to unpaid salaries.
It was reported that GAPTE eventually applied for a bailout from the government to aid in its financial challenges to which they were turned down.