Fewer motorcycle-related crashes and shorter travel times are among the results Cebu City officials are citing in defending Oplan BanTal against criticism that the traffic program is “anti-poor.”
Chief of Staff Kenneth Siasar said Monday that motorcycle-related road crashes along the Banilad-Talamban corridor fell to 43 in August from 66 in June and 59 in July.
The figures were presented by the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) during meetings between the city government and public utility jeepney drivers, Siasar said.
He said the motorcycle restrictions under Oplan BanTal are intended to improve rider safety rather than make travel more difficult for motorcycle users.
“It is not anti-poor,” Siasar said.
Under the traffic scheme, motorcycle riders are required to stay within their designated lane along the Banilad-Talamban corridor. Siasar said authorities observed motorcycles entering and leaving designated lanes and, in some cases, counterflowing.
The center lane is intended for faster-moving vehicles, while the right side is designated for motorcycles, he said.
“What we are doing here is protecting them and making sure that they do not get into accidents by staying in the center lane,” Siasar said.
The city also reported shorter travel times during the morning peak from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Northbound trips that previously took about one hour and 30 minutes were recorded at 51 minutes, while southbound trips took about 39 minutes.
Siasar attributed the decline in motorcycle-related crashes and the shorter travel times to Oplan BanTal.
The city launched the program along the Banilad-Talamban corridor to improve traffic discipline and road safety, with strict enforcement, including fines for violations, beginning Aug. 5.
The program has since drawn complaints and criticism from motorists, particularly motorcycle riders, over the traffic restrictions.
The city has also adjusted parts of the scheme in response to concerns. Motorcycles, for example, were allowed back on the Banilad flyover after initially being restricted from using it.
Siasar said violations have also declined compared with the first two weeks of the program, although he did not have the exact number of citation tickets during Monday’s press conference.
He said traffic enforcers have observed some motorcycle riders staying within their designated lanes even when Cebu City Transportation Office personnel are not present.
Siasar said the city does not expect motorists to immediately change their road behavior, noting that adjustments to the traffic system and driving habits take time.
“When we say behavior change, change in the system, it will not happen in 24 hours,” Siasar said.
Cebu City officials have maintained that Oplan BanTal is meant to improve traffic flow and road safety rather than restrict motorcycle riders.
Earlier, Mayor Nestor Archival also described the initiative as a way of guiding motorists on where they should properly position themselves on the road rather than simply restricting motorcycle movement.
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