Mayor Osmeña wants speed gun for use at SRP

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is considering the purchase of a speed gun for the Cebu City Transportation Office to strictly implement the speed limit of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour at the South Road Properties.

His statement came after an accident involving two motorcycles that were allegedly traveling over the limit at the SRP last Thursday.

“(People should) drive carefully. People nowadays don’t drive carefully. Wala tay mahimo. We can’t close SRP,” the mayor said.

Osmeña said he cannot reduce the speed limit since it is already “low.”

To recall, former mayor Michael Rama ordered the reduction of speed limit at the SRP from 60 kph to 40 kph in 2015 following several accidents in the area.

But, Osmeña said, reducing speed limits without a device to detect actual vehicle speed is “useless.”

“No (reduction of speed limit) because we cannot catch people. We don’t have the apparatus to catch people,” he said.

To solve this, he said he was considering that the city buy the speed gun to strictly implement the speed limit at the SRP.

The mayor, however, said accidents at the SRP are not because of over-speeding but because of reckless driving.

Sought for comment, CCTO Operations Chief Francisco Ouano said it would be a welcome development if the purchase would push through.

He, on the other hand, said several accidents happened at the SRP because motorists usually exceed the speed limit.

“Sa katong recent nga accident, puros motorcycle. Ang police nag-investigate, wala pa naghusay. Kusog gyud ni ilang dagan kay nangapangos,” he said.

Ouano said the acquisition of a speed gun would be of great help to enforcers, who were sometimes bullied by motorists they try to catch for over-speeding.

“Ingnon lang pod atong mga enforcers nga naa diay moy device mo-detect og over-speeding? So, with the pronouncement sa atong mayor, dako gyud kaayo ni’g itabang nato labi na sa SRP kay almost everyday naay aksidente gyud,” he said.

Ouano said establishing a motorcycle lane at the SRP would also be helpful since it would categorize the lanes for the vehicles.

He, however, said it is up to the mayor if he would approve his recommendation. The mayor, however, already said he was not keen on approving a motorcycle lane for now.  (FREEMAN)