By Brian Jules Campued
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Wednesday has approved a resolution prohibiting the use of electric bicycles, electric tricycles, and other motor vehicles on major roads across Metro Manila starting April.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chair Romando Artes said that the MMDA Regulation No. 24-022 series of 2024 would forbid the use of e-vehicles as well as tricycles, pedicabs, pushcarts, and “kuliglig” on national roads including circumferential and radial road in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“Due to the proliferation of e-vehicles, the MMC deemed it imperative to regulate and penalize those who will traverse the national roads using such means of transportation,” he said during a press conference following a meeting with the MMC.
Following are the areas where e-vehicles will be banned:
- C1: Recto Avenue
- C2: Pres. Quirino Avenue
- C3: Araneta Avenue
- C4: EDSA
- C5: Katipunan/CP Garcia
- C6: Southeast Metro Manila Expressway
- R1: Roxas Boulevard
- R2: Taft Avenue
- R3: SLEX
- R4: Shaw Boulevard
- R5: Ortigas Avenue
- R6: Magsaysay Blvd./Aurora Blvd.
- R7: Quezon Ave./Commonwealth Ave.
- R8: A. Bonifacio Ave.
- R9: Rizal Ave.
- R10: Del Pan/Marcos Highway/MacArthur Highway
- Elliptical Road
- Mindanao Avenue
- Marcos Highway
Artes pointed out that the resolution was passed to ensure the safety of all motorists, not just users of e-vehicles.
“We are not totally banning the use of e-bikes and e-trikes; we just want to regulate it since it has been a common cause of traffic and road crash incidents,” he clarified.
Violators will be fined an amount of P2,500.
According to Artes, the policy also requires drivers of e-vehicles and tricycles to have a driver’s license while those who cannot present their license upon apprehension shall be subject to impoundment of their vehicles.
He cited an MMDA data which recorded around 554 road crashes involving e-vehicles in 2023.
“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.
The MMDA chair said that each local government unit in NCR will also craft their respective ordinances to regulate the use of e-vehicles in secondary and other inner roads under their jurisdiction. – avds