World Urban Forum

For those of you who are not familiar with the Okada system in Lagos you can take a look at http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2011/12/02/curbing-the-okada-menace-in-lagos/. It is interesting though - I am in bangkok at the moment and the concept is very wide spread here as in some other Asian countries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_taxi. It seems that Thailand has been able to regulate this form of public transport. So, what are your views? Is there a future for motor cycle taxi's or are they best banned.

Cornie Huizenga. Thank you very much for your contribution. My view is that, urban transportation system should be design and planned in such a way that will discourage the use of motor cycle.

Hi Adenle - I have changed the title of your original posting by adding the question whether motor bikes should be banned. Let's see what the others have to say on this.

Hi Adenle. Same here in Manila, Philippines. The increase in number of motorbikes is proportionate with the increase in gasoline rates. Motorbikes are figured in road accidents and even snatching, robbery (riding in tandem). Now, the Metro Manila Devt Authority imposed stiffer policies- motorbike lane in the EDSA (Metro Manila's main highway), mandatory helmets, spot checking of riders in tandem, etc. We don't have options, though, in place of motorbikes since we have existing public transport systems- buses, LRT, MRT, jeepneys, taxis, etc.

The issue of motorbikes has become a crucial topic more recently, especially in Latin American cities where "the menace of motorbike taxis" has started fairly recently (in the last ten years). Asia has tried a lot of solutions but probably one thing that they have learned is that handling motorbikes may be similar to handling other dangerous items: legalizing them may be a good way to start regulating them. I am not sure if banning them would be a solution (but I would support banning two-stroke motorcycles anyway!).

In any case, the video of this link seems to show what happens when there is no proper regulation, enforcement or altogether control of this mode of transport:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CU1PR4d1wM

for safety and security reasons, believe motorbikes or 'okada' as it is called in lagos,Nigeria where i reside should be banned though i dont know how possible that would be.
the question is, what will happen to the thousands of 'okada' owners who use this as their means of livelyhood?
the govt should but in place regularization and a well laid structure for the okada riders...so as to curb their lawlessness!!

One option would be to modify the service in two ways:
- Change the vehicles (probably a similar service could be provided by medium-speed electric-assisted vehicles - biketaxis)?
- Develop a formal regulation for their operation by defining zones of operation, basic rules and frequencies, etc.

Does this sound good?

An average income earner and high income earner can easily say that motorcycle riders should be banned but putting the low income earner into consideration, I don't think motorcycles should be banned until adequate transport alternatives are provided at affordable prices.

Jinadu - good points! I think that it is important to remember that motor cycles take up far less road space than cars. Talking about banning motor cycles somehow implies that a car is a superior object and that all people should aspire to own a car. Any argument against motor cycles: polluting, dangerous, etc can also be made against cars, yet I have not seen any proposals to ban cars?

I Adenle- I agree with you on the issue of discouraging the use of motor cycles on major urban transport routes but i also solicit the need for implementable and realistic alternatives so as to avoid the menace of motor bike rallies on our urban streets like the case in Hanoi, Vietnam.

One instrument that is often used is to generate economic incentives or penalties for using one or another mode of transport. It could be that buying and using motorbikes would be very expensive, followed by buying/using cars, and bicycles would have no taxes (and ebikes lower taxes)... Would that help to balance the problem?