MMDA road ban a good idea, but with one small flaw

TO the consternation of many who view the move as simply reinforcing a “car-centric” culture on Metro Manila’s already overcrowded roads, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has formally adopted a ban on “e-bikes” and other small vehicles on national roads in Metro Manila, with the measure scheduled to take effect on April 15. Although there is one small flaw in the new rules, an apparent oversight that can be easily corrected, we believe the new measure is generally well-intentioned and sensible.

Under the new provisions, electric bicycles and tricycles, or “e-bikes” and “e-trikes,” as well as gas-powered tricycles, electric scooters, pushcarts, pedicabs, and “kuliglig,” or home-built, gas-powered pedicabs, will be prohibited from using national roads in Metro Manila from April 15. The ban covers Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, South Luzon Expressway, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard/Aurora Boulevard, Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal Avenue, Del Pan/Marcos Highway/McArthur Highway, Recto Avenue, President Quirino Avenue, Araneta Avenue, EDSA, Katipunan/C.P. Garcia Avenue, Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue and Marcos Highway.

Violators of the ban will be penalized with a P2,500 fine. In addition, tricycle drivers must present a driver’s license or their vehicles will be subject to impoundment.

The MMDA has justified the new ban on safety grounds rather than as a traffic-reduction measure, although the ban may provide a small bit of relief to the latter problem. All of the roads covered by the ban have heavy volumes of traffic, where the smaller, slower vehicles affected by the new rules are at high risk of accidents — 554 involving small electric vehicles in 2023, according to MMDA data. This is especially concerning with regard to tricycles, some e-trikes, pedicabs and kuliglig, which are most often used as local public transport, thus exposing passengers to risk as well.

Not everyone agrees with the MMDA’s point of view. Sustainable transport advocates have objected to the new rules on several grounds, including tagging it as an “elitist” measure, as it favors car owners over those with alternative forms of transportation. Car ownership in Metro Manila is rather low, something on the order of 7 to 10 percent of the population. The prohibition of the affected small vehicles from roads that are typically the most convenient travel routes within the metro area has also been criticized for discouraging people from considering alternative means of transportation. And, of course, this would seem to affect lower-income citizens most of all, people who can perhaps afford a low-cost electric scooter or tricycle to obtain some transportation freedom but for whom car ownership is economically out of reach.