50 motorists fined for violating bus lane policy

ABOUT 50 motorists were issued citation tickets and fined P5,000 for violating the exclusive bus lane policy along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) yesterday.

The erring motorists were caught by the “strike force” of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on the EDSA Busway in Ortigas.

MMDA Strike Force officer in charge Gabriel Co said operatives were deployed in the area early yesterday morning to implement the bus lane policy.

He said there are still motorists violating the exclusive bus lane policy even though there is no traffic on EDSA.

Last month, the MMDA said violators of the exclusive bus lane policy have been “decreasing significantly.”

MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations David Angelo Vargas attributed the decrease to their consistent implementation of the EDSA bus lane policy.

Vargas also said that higher penalties implemented since last November are an effective deterrent.

Under MMDA Regulation 23-002, motorists who violate the EDSA bus lane policy will be fined P5,000 fine for the first offense; P10,000 for the second offense plus one month suspension of the driver’s license and a road safety seminar; while those violating the policy for the third time will be fined P20, 000 and their driver’s license suspended for one year.