As LCC’s incident management model bolsters new driving experience
Risks associated with road transportation in a developing country like Nigeria are legion. They include accidents caused by a number of factors such as bad roads, broken-down vehicles, dangerous driving and armed robbery attack whether in the day or at night. These risks have subjected Nigerian motorists and commuters to lots of agony ranging from loss of life, relations and property to the unquantifiable man-hour loss.
Vehicular breakdown in particular comes with associated negative consequences such as road obstruction, traffic gridlock and, most worrisome, accident. During emergency situations like fire outbreak and evacuation of a person in distress or a patient to the hospital, the danger posed to rescue mission by a broken-down vehicle is enormous. Ironically, owners of broken-down vehicles are not spared the negative effect as they stand the risk of being attacked either by miscreants or armed robbers. Sometime, some seemly concerned individuals who offer to help may be out to exploit you. I have gone through these experiences at one time or the other.
In recent times, however, things are changing for the better with the new thinking being introduced into governance and infrastructure development, especially since the return of democracy to the country. As right-thinking administrators and institutions are reforming the face of governance, lots of innovative services and programmes that are redefining social lifestyle and improving the quality of life of the citizenry are coming into public life. Here again, I have an experience to relate.
As a constant user of the newly-upgraded and expanded Eti Osa-Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos, my personal experience with the innovative incident management and route patrol initiative introduced by Lekki Concession Company (LCC) on that stretch is a laudable case study. On November 10, 2012, my car broke down few kilometres after Lekki Phase 1 second gate. I was bewildered because the incident happened on a day I had to keep a major business appointment while my car service centre was on the mainland. In the midst of my frustration, the LCC Route Patrol Team surfaced from nowhere and offered to help. I initially hesitated, thinking of the bill that would follow later. But I was wrong as one of them told me that incident management was complimentary and free. To my surprise, the minor electrical problem was fixed and I zoomed off. I
still made the business appointment, and the rest is a great testimony.
I have come across several users of the facilities on the Eti Osa-Lekki-Epe Expressway whose experience with this LCC’s user-friendly initiative has become a hope raiser. While it is common knowledge that road transportation accounts for more than 90 percent of commuting in Nigeria, positive driving experience has remained a sore point for decades. This is why I am excited with the LCC’s novel concept of “We see more than a road” – a philosophy that I understand drives the company’s commitment to the provision of value-addition to users of its facilities.
According to available statistics, the Route Patrol Team has since October 2009 assisted over 11,000 road users who had faced one challenge or the other while driving on that particular expressway. Tens of hundreds of persons have also been reported to have received assistance through other convenience services offered by the concessionaire. They include vehicle breakdown recovery service, customer service helpline, armed police security patrols, ambulances, traffic management and environmental management. In the same token, there is a two-way radio network that helps the company to coordinate its integrated incident management response to emergency situations. These complimentary services are provided 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and through them road users get faster help at any point or time they are in distress.
The testimonials of residents who have experienced the initiative are cheering. One of them is Tony Ekata, the assistant director, News, Voice of Nigeria, Lagos, who shared a recent encounter he had with the LCC Route Patrol Team. His words: “I had my best road experience in Lagos on Wednesday (April 3, 2013). My car broke down just before the Lekki toll gate and before I could open the hood to see what was wrong, an LCC female officer appeared as if from nowhere. She promptly cordoned off my car with plastic obstacles to minimise obstruction, got on her walkie-talkie while at the same time directing traffic, and summoned a towing truck.
“When I saw the truck, my first thought was, ‘Okay, here they come; they’ll tow the car and ask me to pay an outrageous sum for the service’. The LCC Patrol Officer apparently saw the expression on my face and assured me that it was a free service. Free service in Lagos! And that’s what it was. The most impressive thing was the humane and professional way the Lekki Concession Company crew went about it. They are doing a great job including the free ambulance service which I have seen in action too. Thanks to LCC. Wish we could have this all over Lagos.”
Beyond building the expressway, experts say making roads safer for motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians is a key element that will encourage people to use roads more efficiently. They note that this is paramount in our society because while safety consciousness has improved generally among our people, some are more vulnerable, especially child pedestrians and school children either being driven in commercial buses or on school buses. I want to commend LCC for being at the forefront of raising the safety consciousness of Lagos residents through initiatives like these aimed at reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries among the road users – motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians alike.
It is my view that any strategy that can help us manage emergency incidents and accidents on our roads as LCC is doing on the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road is worth trying. So long as road remains the most-patronised mode of transportation for most Nigerians, relevant authorities would need to do more by making driving a better experience. This is because as a growing economy, we must keep the tempo of national development moving by making sure the citizens are active and mobile. This again perhaps underpins LCC’s innovative and complimentary services to users of the Eti-Osa Toll Road.
Ojedokun, a development communications specialist and social commentator, writes from Lagos.
Send reactions to:
comment@s19080.p615.sites.pressdns.com/en