PUV drivers, bikers urged to observe road courtesy

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Council has required all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and bikers to observe proper road sharing and courtesy in “conflict areas” to prevent traffic accidents, maintain order, and ensure safety to all road users and pedestrians boarding to and alighting from PUVs.

PUVs include public utility buses, public utility jeepneys, and taxis.

The City Council also requested the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to deploy traffic enforcers in all conflict areas such as those designated PUV Stops with corresponding bike lanes, in order to provide guidance and to enforce proper road sharing and courtesy in the aforementioned areas.

Further, the council directed the CCTO traffic enforcers that during peak hours of commuting—6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.-- PUVs must be prioritized in the conflict areas and bikers must yield to PUVs and pedestrians boarding to and alighting from PUVs.

A resolution on the matter sponsored by Councilor James Anthony Cuenco was recently approved by the City Council.

Cuenco said with the growing demands for public transportation brought about by the easing of quarantine restrictions and gradual opening of business establishments, PUB, modernized public utility jeepney, and taxi deployments and operations have increased significantly.

 He said with the establishment of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-initiated bike lanes in national roads and Sugbo Bike Lanes Board (SBLB)-designated “Sugbo Bike Lanes” in city roads, PUVs are now required to share the road with bikers.

 Cuenco said City Ordinance No. 2408 otherwise known as the “Sugbo Bike Lanes Ordinance” does not provide specific provisions as to applicable rules when bikers and PUVs converge in a certain portion of the road such as PUV Stops.

Pursuant to DPWH Department Order 88, Series of 2020, these aforementioned portions of convergence are referred as conflict areas, where vehicles and bicycles are maneuvering at the same areas such as transit stops or commonly known as PUV Stops.

DPWH DO 88 specifically provides for structural improvements to be introduced in transit stops to provide a safe and conducive area for unloading and loading of PUV passengers without traversing in the designated bike lanes.

“With the present width and condition of city roads, these prescribed improvements are not suitable and will only result to narrower roads incapable of heavy traffic volume,” said Cuenco. — FPL (FREEMAN)