The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has cleared unauthorised structures and trading activities around the Achimota New Overhead Ayalolo bus stop as part of efforts to restore public spaces and improve access for commercial vehicles.

The exercise was led by Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey on Tuesday, October 27, in collaboration with the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly.

The clearance is expected to make it easier for Ayalolo and other commercial buses to pick up and drop off passengers without being obstructed by structures and trading activities around the designated stop.

The two assemblies are also working to address the occupation of public spaces in other parts of the city, particularly areas designated for transport operations.

Restoring access to bus stops

The authorities say the exercise is intended to ensure that bus stops serve their intended purpose, rather than becoming occupied by traders and unauthorised structures.

Obstructions around loading and offloading points can make it difficult for buses to access designated stops, affect passenger movement and contribute to traffic congestion.

The clearance at Achimota is therefore expected to improve access for commuters and transport operators using the busy interchange.

The operation forms part of the assemblies’ broader efforts to remove unauthorised structures and trading activities from public spaces across their respective jurisdictions.

Through the collaboration, the authorities aim to keep transport corridors and bus stops accessible while improving traffic flow and movement around busy commercial areas.

The assemblies are expected to sustain enforcement efforts to prevent the reoccupation of cleared spaces and ensure that public areas remain available for their designated uses.About the Ayalolo

Ayalolo, Ghana's flagship Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, was launched on 25 November 2016 by President John Dramani Mahama under the NDC administration as part of the Urban Transport Project aimed at modernising public transport in Accra.

Funded by the World Bank, AFD, the Government of Ghana and the Global Environment Facility, the system was originally designed to operate on dedicated bus lanes to reduce congestion and shorten travel times for commuters travelling into the capital's Central Business District.

Discussions on the Ayalolo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system date back nearly a decade before its launch, with the project conceived under the Ghana Urban Transport Project approved in 2007.

The initiative was designed to provide a modern mass transit system for Accra, although the Ayalolo buses were not officially launched until 25 November 2016 by President John Dramani Mahama.