Erring e-bikes to be issued tickets starting May 27
THE METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will resume issuing violation tickets to light vehicles that pass through major roads in Metro Manila starting May 27.
Included in the ban are e-bikes, e-trikes and pedicabs, as announced last week, after it extended the grace period by another week.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on April 17 ordered a one-month grace period so drivers of light vehicles could be informed about the ban.
“MMDA needs a complete overhaul of its priorities and policies to ones that have a holistic view of development for everyone,” transport advocate and AltMobility PH Director Ira F. Cruz said in a Viber message at the weekend.
“The number of apprehensions is not a success metric,” he said. “Instead, it should be how their policies help or hurt people. In the case of the ban, it impairs the mobility of people and only benefits a minority of private vehicles.”
Under a Metro Manila Council regulation, e-bikes, e-trikes, tricycles, pedicabs, push carts, and kuligligs are banned from passing through national, circumferential roads, and radial roads in Metro Manila.
Violators face a fine of P2,500 and confiscation of their license, while unregistered vehicles may be impounded.
Before the grace period, MMDA issued tickets to 290 violators and impounded 69 vehicles. It said the drivers had not been fined and all vehicles were released.
The MMDA imposed the ban due to the growing number of accidents involving light vehicles on main roads.
It recorded 2,829 accidents in 2022 involving bikes, e-bikes, and pedicabs. The ban is implemented on 19 highways in the capital region. — C.M.A. Hufana
