Dry run of EDSA provincial bus ban on hold, yellow lane rule enforced

INQUIRER PHOTO / LYN RILLON

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has halted the dry run of the ban on provincial buses on EDSA, but will strictly enforce the yellow lane policy for city buses passing through the thoroughfare.

The second day of the pilot test of the agency’s proposed traffic policy should have seen provincial buses ending their trip at interim terminals in Valenzuela City, Parañaque City or Santa Rosa, Laguna, a report published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer today said. The dry run started on Wednesday.

Only 136 of the 2,736 affected provincial buses joined the first day of the dry run, which pushed through despite an injunction issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, the Inquirer said.

Meanwhile, the longtime yellow lane policy on EDSA restricts buses to the two lanes nearest to the sidewalk.

The MMDA denied that it was to blame for the heavier traffic flow on EDSA in the past few days as it pointed at “unruly” city buses. Unlike provincial buses, city buses are banned from using flyovers and underpasses on the busy thoroughfare, the Inquirer said.

MMDA traffic chief for EDSA, Edison “Bong” Nebrija, said city bus drivers who leave the yellow lane are to blame for bottlenecks.

According to the Inquirer, MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said; “We already dedicated the yellow lanes for the city buses but there are some drivers who are hard-headed.”