ACCRA — The Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive has repaired and returned 48 previously grounded Aayalolo buses to service as part of efforts to improve public transportation and reduce congestion across the capital.

The addition has increased the number of operational Aayalolo buses in the Greater Accra Region from 80 to 128, according to GAPTE.

Managing Director of GAPTE, Awudu Dawuda, disclosed the figures during a visit by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, to the Aayalolo terminal at Madina.

Dawuda said management inherited a fleet of 80 operational buses and made restoring grounded vehicles one of its priorities as it sought to increase the number of buses available to commuters.

“The 80 buses that we inherited, the most important thing was for us to enhance mobility and ease congestion in the Greater Accra Region, and so we had to repair over 48 buses,” he said.

“These buses have been added to the 80 buses and so we currently have 128 in our corridors. If I say corridors, I am talking about the routes we are on.”

The repaired buses have been deployed on major routes across Accra, increasing the capacity of the public transport service at a time when commuters continue to face heavy traffic and pressure on available transportation, particularly during peak periods.

Ayariga's visit formed part of a wider inspection of Aayalolo operations aimed at assessing the condition of the fleet and identifying measures to improve the reliability of the service.

The minister visited facilities at Madina, Achimota and Kinbu, engaging management and staff on the challenges affecting operations.

At the Achimota yard, several buses remained parked because of mechanical problems, highlighting the scale of the work still required to return more vehicles to service.

Ayariga said the government was committed to strengthening the Aayalolo system and bringing additional grounded buses back onto the road.

He said increasing the size of the operational fleet must be accompanied by improvements in reliability if the service is to attract more commuters.

According to the minister, successful public transport systems depend on passengers being able to predict when buses will arrive and approximately how long journeys will take.

He argued that establishing that level of reliability could encourage more people to leave their private vehicles at home and use public transportation, potentially helping to reduce the number of vehicles on Accra's roads.

The minister has also proposed exploring dedicated lanes for Aayalolo buses during peak periods as part of efforts to improve journey times.

Under the proposal, buses could receive priority on selected routes when traffic congestion is at its highest.

Ayariga also raised the possibility of using motorbike escorts to help buses move more efficiently through congested sections of the city.

The proposals have not yet been announced as final operational measures.

GAPTE's immediate focus remains increasing the number of buses available for service while improving the efficiency of the existing network.

The return of the 48 buses represents a significant increase in the operational fleet, but several vehicles remain grounded and require repairs.

The government says further assessments will help determine the interventions needed to restore more buses and strengthen the wider Aayalolo system.

For commuters, the effectiveness of the expansion will ultimately depend not only on the number of buses returned to service but also on their frequency, reliability and ability to operate efficiently through Accra's heavily congested road network.