Citom has started confiscating roller skates and skateboards of youths who use Cebu City streets, a violation with a P500 fine. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
Cebu City’s traffic watchdog is negotiating with a mall for the use of a nearby vacant space for skaters and roller blade enthusiasts, who are banned from using public streets.
This would hopefully prevent skaters from loitering in city streets, endangering their lives and that of other road users, said lawyer Rafael Yap, Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive director.
Citom implemented the ban against skaters using city streets on March 1.
Yap also met with a skaters group called “War Cry” on March 1 to brief them on the ban.
He said there were instances where skaters would race with jeepneys, posing a hazard to both skaters and motorists.
Since March 1, Citom has confiscated the skates or roller blades of at least six individuals.
Citom enforcers, however, only reprimanded the violators before returning their skates.
Yap said Citom will start collecting a P500 fine from each violator once Citom completes its information campaign about the ban.
The ban against skaters on public streets is included in the Land Transport and Traffic Code, a national law.
“Initially our dialog with the group was successful. We were able to air our side that we are merely implementing the law…It’s not a question of earning additional revenues for Citom (if we penalize them) but a question of safety,” the Citom chief said.
Yap said that in order to address the concern of skaters, the city government has to identify an open space where they could gather.
skate park
“The city has no capacity to put up its own skate park,” he said.
Yap said they will continue their dialog with the mall management in Cebu City and different skating groups.
He declined to identify the mall until negotiations are finalized.
Yap said he wants the mall management to appreciate the economic value of putting up a skate park as a crowd-drawer.
Until then, Citom will continue to go after illegal skaters and confiscate their wheels and skateboards.