Finally, the authorities in Metro Manila made a major move as the Metro Manila Council (MMC) approved yesterday a resolution that specifically prohibits electric tricycles (e-trikes) and electric bikes (e-bikes) on major roads within the National Capital Region (NCR), according to a Manila Bulletin news report. That being said, the mentioned electric vehicles (e-vehicles) will finally be regulated by local authorities and their users will be required to be licensed to drive.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Mayors of Metro Manila agreed on Wednesday, Feb. 28, to ban e-scooters and e-trikes on major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR) amid rampant traffic violations and accidents involving the small electric vehicles.
The decision was stipulated in a resolution of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of all Metro Manila mayors, according to MMC Chairman and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora during a press briefing with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Don Artes.
“Why are we doing this? There were a lot of pictures and videos shown to us about accidents involving these e-trikes and e-bikes and their presence on national roads and even on expressways which show that they are not following traffic rules and regulations,” said Zamora.
“Ultimately, the objective is to regulate and impose fines for the safety of everybody especially that the number of these e-bikes and e-trikes are continuously increasing,” he added.
Artes said that while there are other local government units across the country that have already issued ordinances on the use of e-bikes and e-trikes, the missing part of these ordinances and regulations was that they do not have stipulated fines for violators.
As a matter of protocol, the implementation of the resolution will be done 15 days after its publication.
Initial list – Initially, both the MMDA and MMC identified 19 major roads in Metro Manila where e-bikes and e-trikes are banned.
They are Recto Avenue, Quirino Avenue, Araneta Avenue, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), Katipunan/CP Garcia, Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, South Luzon Expressway, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard/Aurora Boulevard, Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal Avenue, Delpan/Marcos Highway/McArthur Highway, Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue and Marcos Highway.
Zamora, however, said that the number of roads where e-bikes and e-trikes are banned will increase in the coming days as all local government units (LGUs)( in Metro Manila were given authority to identify roads where e-bikes and e-trikes will not be allowed to travel.
Penalty – Artes said the MMC will be imposing P2,500 fine to all violators, or those who would dare to enter the prohibited roads.
He said the MMDA and enforcers of the LGUs are authorized to impose the fine on every e-bike and e-trike violator.
Artes said the same MMC resolution also authorizes traffic enforcers to impound e-bikes and e-trikes.
“If they enter the national roads we will impose a fine of P2,500. At the same time if the driver of these e-bikes and e-trikes have no driver’s license, then we will impound the vehicles,” said Artes.
Artes explained that the decision to impound the e-bikes and e-trikes was made since they could not issue a citation ticket for violation since the current regulation states that these vehicles do not need to be registered.
“Why do we have to impound them? With no registration and the driver has no driver’s license, who would receive the citation ticket?
Guidelines – Zamora, on the other hand, said they expect the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to release the guideline on Thursday, Feb. 29, on the use of e-bikes and e-trikes.
But this early, he said drivers of e-bikes and e-trikes must have a driver’s license in order to ensure that they underwent the proper training and seminar on traffic rules and regulations, as well as road safety measures.
“We consulted with the LTO to ask if the LGU has the power, and they said that if the e-trikes and e-bikes are not registered and the drivers do not have a driver’s license, then these are already two violations,” said Zamora.
Artes, for his part, said they expect the LTO guideline to discuss and clear things up on registration and the driver’s license requirement for riders of e-bikes and e-trikes.
For my previous blog posts about e-bikes and e-trikes, click here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think the regulation of electric vehicles (including e-bikes and e-trikes) and the ban on them on national roads will make vehicular travel safer for all? Do you think the declared penalty is too low? Are traffic enforcers in your city ready to implement the new rules that the Metro Manila Council approved? Do you think that there will be no more electric vehicles driven by minors once the new rules take effect?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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