The Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) on Tuesday said that there had been a significant increase in the patronage of ferry services since Monday, the first day of work after the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAGFERRY, Mr Abdoulbaq Balogun, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The partial closure of the bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works, expected to last six months from July 24, is to fix worn out expansion joints.

Balogun said: “There has been a higher demand for our services across various routes now and we assure commuters of best services and experiences on the waterways through our ferries.

“We have increased daily operations on most of the routes and added two new ones to help commuters during the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.”

The managing director said that the firm had taken several steps to cushion the effect of the partial closure of the bridge on the commuting public.

He said that one of the two new routes was from the Ilaje-Bariga Terminal situated at the beginning of the Third Mainland Bridge, ferrying commuters from Oworonsoki to Victoria Island, to Falomo-Ikoyi, to CMS-Marina and terminating at Ebute-Ero.

Balogun said that the second route was Bayeku to Oke-Ira Nla to Badore.

According to him, steps have been taken to save commuters’ travel time and provide alternative means of transportation to the residents, especially people living and working on the Island.

He assured the public of a perfect arrangement to guarantee their safety on water, adding that adequate security was guaranteed at car parks in the jetties of the new routes.

Balogun said that each of the jetties had secured passenger parking spaces that would enable them to park their cars, board a boat with security assurance, and get to their destinations in record time .

The LAGFERRY boss said that all passengers are insured and assured of a good safety record.

According to Balogun, LAGFERRY boats are state-of-the- art built and equipped with modern technology like free wifi, onboard entertainment and they are monitored in real time to ensure passengers safety.

He said that there had been a strict adherence to all COVID-19 safety regulations including compulsory wearing of life jackets, washing of hands with water/sanitizers, temperature check, maintaining social distancing and operating within regulated hours. (NAN)