Short-, medium- and long-term mobility solutions

BY ROBERT SIY, Manila Times, 28 Sept 2019

WE all have friends or relatives whose daily commute has become so onerous, costly or time-consuming that he or she is seriously considering a drastic change. Those who are more fortunate might have the option of another job or a different school. But, sometimes, the outcome is a sad one with the person resigning from work or ending her education because her daily travel was not sustainable physically, financially or emotionally.

We know we are in a crisis when the lack of mobility options is forcing people to abandon their dreams, abort their plans, or settle for something far short of their potential. It is a huge loss, not just for that person, but for the entire nation. Unfortunately, this tragic story is a cruel reality for more and more Filipinos. This has to change. Filipinos deserve better.

Commuters need to hear more than the promise of big projects. They need the assurance that the government has a plan for providing a higher quality of service that will apply to them as well. They need to know that improvements will come soon and not in a piecemeal way. They need to understand how the mix of government policies and investments will enable them to arrive home sooner, reduce their transportation expenses, or make their travel safer and more comfortable.

When government agencies act without a common understanding of the problem, or if they are not guided by clear objectives, they can easily make mobility and traffic worse. Recognizing the need for a coordinated approach among the key agencies, Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, filed a resolution this week calling for the creation of an Inter-Agency Traffic Crisis Management Council.

Together with an effective institutional setup, there needs to be a sound vision and strategy on how to improve mobility and cure traffic congestion. Big and small steps will be needed, but each step should take us in the direction of inclusive and sustainable mobility.

The important principle is that we should create a future where all Filipinos can move around safely, conveniently and comfortably, not just those who are wealthy enough to have cars. That desirable future cannot be attained if transportation policies and investments are designed mainly to accommodate the continued growth in the number of private vehicles. This leads only to gridlock for everyone.

When public transport is unavailable, insufficient or inconvenient; when cars are prioritized on major roads while buses are stalled; when people are unable to walk or cycle because sidewalks and bike lanes are absent or unsafe, we compel commuters to use private motor vehicles, making traffic worse. When we invest in measures that make car use more attractive (such as building more roads and bridges for private cars), we encourage further car use, leading ultimately to more congestion.

We need measures that encourage use of the most efficient transport options (public transport, walking and cycling), so that even car owners will use these options for their daily travel. Time is of the essence. Much can already be done in the next 24 months to bring some relief to commuters and reduce their total travel time. Increasing public transport supply and giving it priority in the use of road space will make an immediate difference. Here are suggestions for an action plan with short-, medium- and long-term components.

Short-term measures (within six months)

– Lift number-coding restrictions on public utility vehicles – this will release additional 25 percent supply of public transport.
– Increase P2P and UV Express supply – lift limits on the number of vehicles serving each route; introduce new routes; enforce service standards strictly; allow competition even on the same route so that passengers have options and operators are motivated to raise the quality of their services.
– Require EDSA bus operators to introduce express bus (limited stop) services – (for EDSA city bus operators, at least 20 percent of their fleet should be on “express” service – maximum of eight stops, inclusive of start/end points; maximum of two stops on EDSA).
– Introduce PUV-only/High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)-only periods on major corridors during morning and evening peak hours (HOV should have four or more persons inside the vehicle; windows open or with no tint, so all passengers are visible).
– Promote car-pooling; encourage use of car-pooling apps.
– Encourage all firms and public agencies to organize employee shuttle services.
– Activate school buses/school shuttles (after they drop off students) to augment public transport supply where it is insufficient.
– Identify road sections which can be operated as PUV-only lanes during peak demand periods.
– Clear sidewalks of obstructions and illegally parked vehicles.
– Require all major buildings and commercial establishments to have abundant bicycle parking.
– Implement amnesty program for “colorum” public transport vehicles so that they can augment supply where services are inadequate.

Medium-term measures (six to 24 months)

– Adopt housing and urban land use policies that allow higher density and mixed use, so people have closer access to jobs/services/markets and require fewer trips.
– Consolidate city bus operators for more efficient and passenger-friendly operations.
– Require all buses to have electronic devices that can transmit their location in real time; data should be made publicly available for passenger information, bus operations monitoring and transportation planning.
– Mandate use of automatic (cashless) fare collection (AFC) on all public transport; require AFC suppliers to comply with technical specifications that will permit interoperability of different AFC systems.
– Implement MRT3 EDSA Bus to augment MRT3 services (carousel-type operation using bus-only median lane).
– Accelerate implementation of Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) with larger subsidy and ready financing for vehicle replacement.
– Upgrade traffic signal system to give public utility vehicles priority at intersections.
– Repair sidewalks and improve pedestrian access on all national and local roads.
– Create a Metro Manila-protected bicycle lane network to provide safe, efficient transport option for cyclists.
– Create a metropolis-wide greenways network to create more public space and promote active transport (walking and cycling).
– Revise Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the National Building Code to remove minimum parking space requirements for buildings.
– Encourage malls, commercial centers and churches to convert private car parking areas into public transport terminals and bicycle parking.

Long-term measures (over 24 months)

– Create a Metro Manila public transport agency to plan and manage public transport services across all 17 LGUs (local government units).
– Develop and expand rail networks (MRT3 Rehabilitation; Metro Manila Subway; LRT2 East Extension; LRT1 East and West Extensions; MRT7; North-South Commuter Rail).
– Develop bus rapid transit (BRT) systems on major roads (EDSA BRT; Quezon Avenue BRT; Roxas Boulevard; C5; Shaw Boulevard).
– New bridges across the Pasig River to prioritize public transport, walking and cycling over private vehicles.
– Introduce congestion charging/road pricing to discourage private vehicle use within the city center.
– Introduce a tax on non-residential parking spaces within city centers.
– Use revenues from congestion charging and parking space taxes to finance public transport and other mobility improvements.

The above is far from an exhaustive list. But it shows that a lot can be done in the near term, even immediately, to make life better for Metro Manila commuters. The key ingredients are leadership and political will.