Commuters continue to groan in the city of Ibadan in Oyo State as traffic congestion and indiscriminate commercial activities disrupted major roads.
Ibadan used to be one of the most peaceful states in the Southwest, with little or no traffic congestion and its lesser cost of living. Unfortunately, this is luxuries are fast disappearing.
According to The Guardian, in recent times, citizens of Ibadan have been agonising under excruciating traffic congestion, which according to them are either due to bad portions on the narrow roads that could no longer contain the volume of vehicles.
Added to the factors creating traffic is the indiscriminate spilling of commercial activities onto major roads, thereby preventing free flow of traffic.
The unusual traffic has been noticeable along Iwo Road, Iwo Road Junction and Bus Terminus in Ibadan that leads to other parts of Oyo and other states. It is a major terminal where travelers going to Osun/Ife, Lagos, Ogun, Kwara and other parts of the southwest board vehicles just as it also serves as a business district mixed with residential apartments.
Three critical factors observed to be responsible for the traffic at Iwo Road Bus Terminus include indiscriminate parking of commercial buses that load passengers right in the middle of the expressway, traders displaying their wares on the roads as well as the activities of street hawkers who deal within moving vehicles.
A few meters from Iwo Road Round about along Ibadan Osogbo Iwo Road, a big gully on the road was also observed to be creating serious traffic just as reckless driving of commercial motorcycle operators is not helping the situation.