Aayalolo Buses Get Priority On Four Major Accra Routes
Government introduces contra-flow system to ease peak-hour traffic congestion
- Contra-flow system begins on four routes.
- Amasaman, Pokuase, Adenta and Kasoa affected.
- Aayalolo to serve long-distance commuters.
The government has commenced a contra-flow arrangement for Aayalolo bus services on four major routes leading into Accra’s Central Business District as part of measures to ease traffic congestion during peak hours.
The initiative covers the Amasaman–Accra, Pokuase–Accra, Adenta–Accra and Kasoa–Accra corridors.
The four routes are among the major commuter arteries into Accra and regularly experience heavy traffic, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.
Under the new arrangement, Aayalolo buses will be prioritised for passengers travelling longer distances into the Central Business District, while commercial passenger vehicles, including trotros, will continue to serve commuters travelling shorter distances along the various corridors.
The government says the arrangement is intended to improve public transport efficiency by allowing the high-capacity Aayalolo buses to transport large numbers of passengers travelling directly into central Accra.
Speaking to Citi News, Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga said the initiative was designed to create a clearer division of roles between Aayalolo buses and commercial passenger vehicles.
He explained that commuters travelling shorter distances should continue to use trotros, which traditionally serve those routes, while Aayalolo buses concentrate on moving larger groups of passengers into Accra.
“We want to leave that business of somebody who wants to move from Adenta to Madina, leave that to the trotros. Somebody who is picking a car from Madina to Legon, leave that to the trotros because the trotros don’t have that much room space,” he said.
According to Mr Ayariga, the Aayalolo buses can carry up to 80 passengers at a time, allowing them to move large numbers of commuters travelling directly to Accra Central.
He said moving those passengers onto Aayalolo buses would free up space for trotros to focus on shorter routes and potentially make more trips along those corridors.
The government expects the arrangement to improve the movement of commuters during peak periods by making more efficient use of the available public transport capacity.
