Council endorses routes at SRP

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has endorsed the new routes for a High Quality Public Transport System (HQPTS) at the South Road Properties (SRP) to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The three routes being proposed for the HQPTS are Talisay-SRP-Mambaling-Talisay-SRP-Talisay; Talisay-SRP-Mambaling-SRP-Downtown (near City Hall)-SM City Cebu-North Bus Terminal-SM City Cebu-Downtown (near City Hall)-SRP-Mambaling-SRP-Talisay; and North Bus Terminal-SM City Cebu-Downtown (near City Hall)-SRP-Mambaling-SRP-Downtown (near City Hall)-SM City Cebu-North Bus Terminal.

The proposed new routes will be serviced by interim hybrid buses – a “high quality” mass transport utility powered by electricity and diesel. The routes are being proposed in preparation for the opening of the SM Seaside City Complex next year.

The proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is not yet approved and operational.

The third route, which the northbound passengers would use, is considered the “shortest route” among the proposed routes for hybrid buses.

“The city council recognizes the need to establish the new routes, subject to the recommendations and findings of the recommendatory entities, consistent with and for the furtherance of the City of Cebu’s overall transport strategy for the SRP,” the resolution of Councilor Nestor Archival reads.

“It is also important that the City Council recognizes that the transport system has to be operated in the new routes will be a HQPTS for such period until the BRT is implemented,” the resolution reads further.

 Recently, SM Supermalls-Visayas Region Operations Manager Sherry Tuvilla showed the Council the proposed routes and “hybrid and BRT-ready buses” that she described as safe, comfortable and environment friendly.

A hybrid bus can accommodate 70 passengers and emits 30 percent less carbon dioxide and 90 percent less particulate emission than a Euro 1 bus, an urban-class bus using a standard European Diesel Fuel with 330ppm (parts per million) of sulfur content.

 â€œThis is to address impact on road congestion to the environment and achieve a high quality transport,” Tuvilla said.

 Archival, chairperson of the Council’s committee on energy, said the temporary transport system has “more energy-efficient environment-friendly mode of public transport that will reduce negative impact on environment.”

Prior to the passage of the measure during last Wednesday’s session, Councilor Eugenio Gabuya insisted for first a public hearing on the proposed routes for HQPTS.

“We don’t know if it would lessen or worsen the traffic situation because of this transport system,” Gabuya said.

Archival assured his colleagues that the proposed HQPTS would “bring good public transport utility” in the city and since the proposed routes experienced no traffic problem.  (FREEMAN)