Group opposes other vehicles on EDSA Busway

MANILA, Philippines — Business group Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) is objecting to a recent proposal to allow hybrid and electric vehicles on the EDSA Busway.

“The new Busway on EDSA has been designed for the exclusive use of public buses and it is now operating efficiently conveying commuters at a shorter time, and dramatically achieved higher passenger throughput rate utilizing fewer buses,” the MAP said in a statement yesterday.

“This efficiency is vital for the densest traffic corridor in Metro Manila that is used daily by over one million commuters,” it added.

The group stressed that implementing the proposal to allow hybrid and electric vehicles on the EDSA Busway amounts to policy backsliding and will seriously set back the gains achieved thus far.

“Clogging the Busway with other vehicles will severely degrade the efficiency of the Busway, to the great detriment of the larger constituency – 400,000 bus passengers who now use this vital transport corridor,” MAP said.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella was quoted in a recent news report as saying that the government is considering allowing hybrid and electric vehicles on bus lanes along major thoroughfares, such as EDSA, to encourage the use of such vehicles.

He said that green plates will be issued for these vehicles to show they are  allowed to use the bus lane.

“Policy makers must realize this. Busway is still a work in  progress, intended to be upgraded to full bus rapid transit standards as announced by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista under a privatized concession being considered,” the MAP said, adding that 30 business and civic organizations fully support this policy direction.