By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

ONITSHA—DESPITE the temporary opening of the newly built second Niger Bridge, road users plying the route are still subjected to traffic gridlock on the old bridge.

However, there is a little relief for them compared to what was obtainable the previous years as traffic moves gradually against total standstill.

Some motorists who spoke with Vanguard  on the foot of the old bridge at the Asaba end, said the point of the diversion to the new bridge  allows only one vehicle to pass through to connect the new bridge and was a problem.They said    the construction company should have widened the entrance to take more vehicles out to the new bridge to avoid the traffic that was built and stretched far.

“The gridlock built by this narrow  route discouraged many motorists from taking the new bridge. They  ply the old bridge thereby increasing the traffic on it.

“Also, because no big trucks were allowed to use the new bridge, the many trucks plying the route still created gridlock on the old bridge  even though security operatives and officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps were on hand to help in controlling and directing traffic”.

The traffic situation pushed transport fares up as Asaba to Onitsha rose N100 from N700.