By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has urged the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) to amend the existing ordinance or enact a new one that seeks to regulate the operation of electric bicycles (e-bikes) in the city.

“There is a need to amend the ordinance or come up with a new ordinance to regulate e-bikes,” Gasataya said.

He said he has already discussed the matter with Councilor Dindo Ramos, SP committee on traffic chairperson, to address the issue.

Gasataya added that he will hold a meeting with the Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) to determine the total number of e-bikes operating in the city.

The mayor said the SP should determine who will be allowed to secure a franchise, where franchise applications should be processed, and establish guidelines for the conversion of e-bikes into e-tricycles.

This comes after the BTTMD intensified its operations against colorum (unregistered or franchise-less) tricycles and e-bikes in various barangays in the city.

BTTMD head Reubin Sabig earlier said the department impounded a total of 126 e-bikes and 87 tricycles from different barangays from June 1 to 25.

He explained that e-bikes are considered colorum because they are not covered by any city ordinance authorizing them to operate as public transportation.

Sabig added that the growing number of e-bikes has contributed to traffic congestion on both major roads and secondary roads in the barangays./MAP, WDJ