By Aerol John Pateña/PNA
MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has removed the “window hours” policy for the number coding scheme in all major thoroughfares and Mabuhay Lane routes in Metro Manila.
This after its policy-making body, Metro Manila Council (MMC), has agreed to standardize the enforcement of the “no window hours” scheme on national roads and roads listed as Mabuhay Lanes following its meeting last Tuesday.
“MMDA traffic enforcers will apprehend violators on national roads while counterpart traffic enforcers of local government units will do the apprehension in their jurisdiction,” MMDA general manager Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia said in a statement on Wednesday.
The apprehension of violators is effective immediately upon the approval of the resolution by the MMC.
The MMC, composed of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila, will also amend their existing number coding schemes and traffic codes implemented in their jurisdiction.
The Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or the number coding scheme is enforced during weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, including Edsa.
Under the scheme, vehicles banned on a certain day of the week depending on their license plate or conduction sticker ending digits cannot traverse major thoroughfares and Mabuhay lane routes for any hours between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, the MMDA said it is set to implement a 60 kilometers per hour (kph) speed limit in major roads at Metro Manila following its approval by the MMC.
“This 60 kilometers is basically on lean hours if there is no traffic to reduce the speed and avoid accidents,” MMDA traffic chief Edison “Bong” Nebrija said in a television interview.
The Metro Manila mayors have yet to sign the resolution approving the speed limit in the metropolis as this is needed to be published first before its implementation.
The MMDA will be apprehending violators using speed guns once the policy is implemented, Nebrija said.