STARTING next month, electronic bikes and trikes will no longer be allowed on major roads in Metro Manila under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes announced the move yesterday, saying the prohibition is covered by a resolution issued by the Metro Manila Council (MMC).
The resolution prohibits e-bikes, e-trikes, as well as tricycles, pedicabs, push carts, and “kuligligs” on national roads, circumferential and radial roads in Metro Manila.
The MMC, whose members are the 17 Metro mayors, is the policy-making body of the MMDA.
Among the roadways where electronic vehicles will no longer be allowed are C1 Recto Avenue, C2 President Quirino Avenue, C3 Araneta Avenue, C4 Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, C5 Katipunan to C.P.Garcia, C6 Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, R1 Roxas Boulevard, R2 Taft Avenue;
SLEX, R4 Shaw Boulevard, R5 Ortigas Avenue, R6 Magsaysay and Aurora Blvds., R7 Quezon Avenue/Commonwealth Avenue, R8 A.Bonifacio Avenue, R9 Rizal Avenue, R10, Del Pan/Marcos Highway/ McArthur Highway, Elliptical Road, Mindanao Avenue and Marcos Highway.
Artes said violators will be slapped with a P2,500 fine, which will only be enforced by April following an information campaign to raise awareness of the move.
Erring motorists who have no driver’s licenses will also have their vehicles impounded.
“Those who cannot present their driver’s license upon apprehension shall be subject to impoundment of their respective vehicles,” Artes said.
Local government units in Metro Manila will have to craft their respective ordinances barring e-bikes and trikes on roads under their jurisdiction.
Last week, Artes said the MMDA is working with the Land Transportation Authority to have electronic bikes and trikes registered as their number continues to increase.
He said that drivers of e-bikes and e-trikes would also be mandated to get driver’s licenses before they are allowed to ply the roads.
He added that these moves would help address traffic obstructions caused by e-bikes and e-trikes on the roads.
The MMDA chief said the sudden increase in the numbers of e-bikes and e-trikes is becoming a “cause of concern” for authorities, like the MMDA which is tasked to ensure the seamless flow of traffic in the metropolis.
Data provided by the agency showed that in 2023, there were 554 road crash incidents involving e-vehicles in Metro Manila alone.
“We won’t wait for these figures to blow up before we regulate it considering the increasing number of users of these kinds of vehicles,” Artes said.
“We are not totally banning the use of e-vehicles, we just want to regulate it since it has been a common cause of traffic and road crash incidents,” he added.
