Enugu – Transporters plying the Abakpa Nike and Trans Ekulu routes in Enugu have increased their fares following the collapse of a vital bridge in the city.

A correspondent  who monitored the situation in Enugu on Monday reports that the fares were hiked between 70 and 100%.

Commercial buses are charging between N50 and N60 for short distances and between N80 and N100 for long distances as against N40 per drop before the collapse.

Commuters, especially school children, trekked long distances while others waited to board the government owned Coal City Shuttle buses which charged N40 per drop.

Some people who spoke with reporters expressed dismay at the development, saying they were undergoing untold hardships.

Mr Chris Okoye, a civil servant, said he now paid N200 daily to and from work, adding that it took the vehicle about three hours to get to work.

“We have been suffering since the bridge collapsed. I spend more than N200 everyday to go to work.

“Yet I go to work late because it takes the bus between two and three hours to get out of Abakpa due to the bad road,’’ he said.

A motorist, Mrs Doris Anukwuo, complained about reckless driving by some drivers, particularly commercial bus drivers, who jump queues to beat the snarl.

“The annoying thing is that many commercial drivers jump queues and end up causing obstruction. School children are the worst hit.

“Look at the time and we are still on our way to school,’’ she lamented.

She called on the police and the FRSC to intensify traffic control to reduce the plight of the people.

Others who spoke to NAN also urged the state government to speed up repairs on the bridge as well as rehabilitate alternative routes.

Work is already in progress at the bridge, which was washed off by erosion during a heavy rainfall. (NAN)