Commuters in Enugu are facing steep transport fare hikes ahead of Christmas, with prices on major routes jumping by 45 to 50 per cent amid the festive rush

Findings by our Correspondent on Wednesday show that commercial transport operators abruptly increased fares, blaming the seasonal one-way traffic flow and the high cost of returning without passengers.

On the busy Old Park–Eke Obinagu route, fares that previously ranged between N400 and N500 have jumped to between N700 and N800. Similarly, commuters travelling from Old Park to Abakpa now pay as much as N800, up from the usual N400–N500.

The situation is the same on the Holy Ghost–Agbani Road corridor, where fares rose from N500 to N900. Intra-city bus fares have also doubled in many cases, with short trips increasing from N150 to N300, and others from N200 to N400.

Commercial drivers defended the increases, arguing that the festive season has disrupted normal passenger flow.

“One major issue is that passengers are moving mostly in one direction because of the festive period.

“If I carry passengers from Old Park to Emene at N500, there are no passengers to bring me back. So, I have to add almost the full return cost. That’s why the fare looks high,” a bus driver at Old Park told our correspondent.

Another driver said failure to adjust fares would result in losses. “Everybody is travelling to their villages. If we don’t increase fares, we won’t survive this period,” he said.

But commuters have condemned the hike as sudden and exploitative.

“I was shocked this morning when they asked me to pay N800 for a route I usually pay N500 for. Fuel prices have dropped compared to some months ago, so fares should reduce, not increase,” said Mrs. Chinenye Okafor.

Mr Ifeanyi Nwankwo accused transport operators of cashing in on the festive season.

“Every Christmas it’s the same story. They raise fares without notice, and ordinary people suffer,” he said.

Some passengers called on transport unions and government authorities to step in and regulate fares during the holiday period to curb what they described as arbitrary pricing.

Efforts to obtain comments from the National Union of Road Transport Workers and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria were unsuccessful, as neither responded to inquiries.

As Christmas and New Year celebrations draw closer, commuters in Enugu continue to shoulder the burden of rising transport costs. (The PUNCH)