BY MYLA IGLESIAS and NOEL TALACAY
THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) has stalled installed bicycle racks at the four rails system in Metro Manila to encourage commuters to use their bikes as a tier mode of transportation to and from their work destinations.
Transportation Arthur Tugade said the bicycle racks can be used by commuters and employees free of charge from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. One rack can accommodate five bikes.
Tugade said bike owners can claim their bicycles until the close of operations at 10 p.m.
Cyclists also have to bring their own padlocks to secure their belonging.
“Cyclists are also allowed to bring their folded bicycles inside the train car with a fare from origin to destination equivalent to one person, and subject to disinfection,” he also said.
“As a form of assistance to them, we have initially installed bike racks in various railway stations in Metro Manila. And this will definitely be replicated in other public transport terminals across the country,” Tugade said.
At the Light Rail Transit line 1 (LRT-1), bicycle racks have been installed at the Central, Libertad station; EDSA-Taft, and soon at the Baclaran station.
At the LRT-2 route, bicycle racks have been installed at the Legarda station. The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) is also setting up racks at the Pureza, V. Mapa, J. Ruiz, Gilmore, and Betty Go-Belmonte stations.
Meanwhile, Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3) commuters may pedal to stations and park their bikes before boarding trains at the North Avenue, Quezon Avenue and GMA-Kamuning stations, which now have one-street level bike rack each on the northbound side.
Installation at the MRT-3 stations started on June 22. Management is eyeing to complete the setting up of 34 bike racks from North Avenue to Taft Avenue both on the northbound and southbound directions.
The Philippine National Railways (PNR), on the other hand, has also installed bike racks at its Tutuban station, while installation at other stations is ongoing.
Tugade said cyclists can bring their folded bicycles inside the train car, which will be considered as an extra passenger and will be subject to fare from origin to destination equivalent to one person, and subject to disinfection.
To recall, the DOTr, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), is fast-tracking the creation of bicycle lanes along EDSA to ensure the safety of cyclists, as well as to maximize road space use.
