Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chief Romando Artes is opposing a proposal to remove the EDSA Bus Carousel, with the agency stating that the matter should be “studied carefully.”
Artes noted that the current system has helped improve traffic flow and is effecting in transporting passengers along EDSA. “Commuter travel time along EDSA was cut in half because of the EDSA Bus Carousel,” said the official, adding that removing the EDSA Busway and reverting to the old system would worsen traffic congestion because the lanes have been narrowed to accommodate the bike lane.
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The proposal to remove the busway was made by the Mega Manila Consortium Corporation. In a report by 24 Oras, the group proposed taking back the two outermost lanes of EDSA—including the bike lane—for buses, and reinstating the 14 bus stops along the thoroughfare.
“Nagkaroon lang ng pandemic kaya kami nawala sa EDSA,” said Juliet de Jesus, internal affairs officer of Mega Manila Consortium, adding that bus operators are losing money after bus volume on EDSA was reduced from 3,000 buses in total to just 550 plying the busway. The other buses were assigned to other routes in Metro Manila.
Now that the state of public emergency has ended, the group wants to reclaim their pre-pandemic routes. “Ang commitment namin is we will police our own ranks,” de Jesus stated.
In the same report, an alternative transport group opposed the removal of bike lanes, citing a 2021 study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that seven out of 10 people use alternative modes of transport.
Meanwhile, the MMDA stressed the investments made by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on the EDSA Bus Carousel as well as the completion of the Bike Master Plan.
“It is the DOTR that must decide whether or not the EDSA Bus Carousel should be removed,” said Artes.
