Ayalolo buses begin peak-hour runs against traffic on Accra routes in trial

Pinned summary · as of 04:21

Ayalolo buses began using reserved lanes against the flow of traffic into central Accra on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, in a trial meant to speed up commuter trips. GAPTE, the capital's public transport planning body, is running it with the police traffic unit and the Department of Urban Roads, on chosen stretches of the roads from Amasaman, Adenta and Kasoa. The lanes operate only in the morning and evening rush.

What we know

• The trial of Ayalolo priority lanes got under way on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, following the local government ministry's announcement of the plan. Onua Online and Starr FM both call it a pilot.
• Designated sections of the roads linking Amasaman, Adenta and Kasoa to Accra are covered, and they are described as heavily used commuter routes at peak times.
• Buses use the reversed lanes between 6am and 9am, and again between 4pm and 8pm.
• Only authorised Ayalolo Bus Rapid Transit vehicles may drive in the lanes. Private cars, taxis, trotros and other commercial vehicles are barred from them.
• Delivery is a joint effort of the local government ministry, GAPTE, the Department of Urban Roads and the police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD).
• MTTD officers have been placed at key intersections and other strategic points to direct vehicles and make sure the lane rules are followed.
• GAPTE, the police traffic unit, the Department of Urban Roads and other partners first tested the idea in a joint traffic simulation.
• The government and the ministry say they expect the lanes to make Ayalolo trips faster and more punctual, to ease pressure on the main approaches to the city centre, and to draw commuters away from private cars.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Reports differ on how many roads are covered. Onua Online and one Citi Newsroom report speak of four corridors, adding Pokuase, and Starr FM lists a Pokuase/Adentan route, while other reports from Citi Newsroom, The Vaultz News and Rainbow Radio Online name only Amasaman, Adenta and Kasoa.
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  The date of the ministry's announcement is reported differently. Citi Newsroom, MyJoyOnline and Today say the statement was issued on Monday, 28 September, but The Vaultz News refers to a press release dated 27 September.
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  Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga told Citi Newsroom that buses, which he said hold 80 passengers, should serve long trips while trotros handle short ones. “We want to leave that business of somebody who wants to move from Adenta to Madina, leave that to the trotros,” he said. Only Citi Newsroom carried these remarks.
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  The Vaultz News quoted Mr Ayariga as saying he personally authorised the arrangement. “This will drastically improve reliability, cut journey times, and ease the pressure from private vehicles,” he said. No other report carries his comments.
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  Commuters who spoke to Citi Newsroom described calmer, less crowded rides but complained about late departures. Juliet Agyapong said drivers waited for traders to board with goods, and put trotro fares from Accra to Amasaman at GH¢15 to above GH¢20 in the evening. Mr Ayariga said the delays would be dealt with after the pilot and that drivers should leave on time even if buses are not full. These accounts come from a single publication.
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  A driver named Philip told Citi Newsroom that his first run from Amasaman to Accra took about 35 minutes, split evenly either side of a stop at Abeka Junction. Nobody else has confirmed the timing.
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  Justice K. Safo, who handles public relations for the Aayalolo buses, told Rainbow Radio Online the first day went smoothly, that problems were minor, and that trips which once took hours now take 15 to 30 minutes. He said the express service makes limited stops, so passengers getting off along the way must switch to regular services. This has not been corroborated by other reports.
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  Awudu Dawuda, managing director of GAPTE, was reported by Onua Online as saying the pilot also supports the government's Reset Agenda and 24-Hour Economy Policy. Only Onua Online carried this.
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  Rainbow Radio Online cited Citi Research as estimating that a fleet of 100 buses working five main routes (Tema and Dawhenya among them) could move as many as 134,400 passengers daily and earn GHS 403,200 daily at a GHS 3 fare. The estimate is unconfirmed and comes from one publication.
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  Kennedy Nyarko Osei, the opposition's ranking member on the roads and transport committee in Parliament, told Starr FM that adding buses alone will not cure congestion in Accra. He called for a wider overhaul with trams, extra arterial roads, interchanges and express lanes. Only Starr FM carried his comments.

Why it matters for Ghana

Workers and traders travelling into central Accra from Amasaman, Adenta and Kasoa often lose hours in rush-hour queues, so a bus service that bypasses the jam could make their journeys more predictable. Trotro drivers and passengers are affected as well, since trotros must stay out of the reserved lanes. Whether the trial works will depend on how firmly police keep other vehicles out and on whether buses leave on schedule.