MMDA not in favor of banning motorcycles along major roads

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is not in favor of the proposal prohibiting motorcycles along major thoroughfares and national roads, but has no intentions also to provide exclusive lanes for motorcycles. According to MMDA chair Bayani Fernando, motorcycle owners have the right to use all the existing roads because like cars and other types of vehicles, they are registered at the Land Transportation Office and paying due taxes. But at the same time, he said, it is not possible to give motorcycles an exclusive lane along major thoroughfares and national highways because the roads are already congested and taking out one lane would result in traffic chaos. "I don't think it's fair to ban motorcycles from major roads as well as give them exclusive lane. What is needed is for the riders to follow the road rules in order to prevent accidents," Fernando said in an interview. There are two proposed bills at the House of Representatives concerning motorcycle riders: one is House Bill 3145, or the segregated Cycle Lanes Act of 2007 authored by Rep. Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina City and the other is Rep. Narciso Santiago's House Bill 3080. Both bills are aimed at preventing road accidents, particularly those involving motorcycles. In a recent report released by the MMDA, it showed that motorcycles have the highest fatality accident rate with 122 motorcycles or 23.6 percent of the total fatal accidents. According to Fernando, motorcycle riders must consider themselves as one vehicle and use a lane that matches their speed. "If they are slow they must use the outer lanes and the inner lane for fast moving motorcycles," he said, adding that motorcycles must not exceed 50 kilometers per hour. - GMANews.TV