Unti-unting pagtaas ng bicycle road accidents, ibinabala
Nagbabala si Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor sa unti-unting pagdami ng naitatalang bicycle road accident dahil sa kakulangan ng ligtas na mobility infrastructure.
Sa inilabas na pahayag, sinabi ng mambabatas na umakyat ng 48 porsyento ang bicycle road crashes sa Metro Manila noong 2020.
Inaasahan aniyang tataas pa ito sa taong 2021 dahil mas maraming indibiduwal ang pinipiling gumamit ng bisikleta papasok sa trabaho.
“We have to restructure and redesign our streets to accommodate the influx of bicycles,” ani Defensor.
Dagdag nito, “Right now, bicycle riders have very little leeway to safely navigate through motor vehicle traffic in our heavily congested roads, thus causing many accidents.”
Base sa datos ng Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), lumobo sa 2,606 ang naitalang bilang ng bicycle road accident sa NCR mula nang magsimula ang pandemya.
“But the MMDA statistics are understated, since they cover only crashes that get reported and documented. We suppose that the real figures are much higher,” giit ng kongresista.
Upang makapagtatag ng mas ligtas na travel environment sa mga siklista, nauna nang naghain si Defensor ng House Bill 10396 o proposed Bike-Friendly Communities Act, na layong bumuo ng cycling infrastructure sa bansa.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, kakailanganing gumawa ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) ng bicycle lane network sa bansa, kung saan kabilang ang sidewalk upgrades, crossing improvements, parking racks, off-street shelters, service centers, at specialized traffic signs at signals.
Samantala, sa Quezon City, nangako ang mayoral candidate na maglalaan sila ng pondo para sa bicycle lanes upang makapagbukas ng trabaho sa mga manggagawang nawalan ng hanapbuhay dulot ng pandemya.
Nauna na ring ipinanukala ng ka-tandem ni Defensor na si vice mayoralty candidate Winnie Castelo ang P9-billion infrastructure program para pasiglahin ang ekonomiya sa Quezon City at makapaghatid ng bagong trabaho sa mga residente.
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