Although maintaining that the high levels of pollution justify it, Mayor of Mexico City Miguel Ángel Mancera said that he regrets the inconveniences caused by the restrictions on vehicle circulation.
“I want to make clear that I regret very much the inconveniences caused to the people by these measures. We don’t like seeing our people suffer,” he said.
He justified the measure, saying, “you all saw the levels of pollution we had yesterday, when it went above 150 points; the heat that we have right now is going to further promote the formation of ozone, and the situation also depends a lot on the wind.”
“The circulation restrictions may be extended, so I am waiting for the next meeting with the Megalopolis Environmental Commission (CAMe) and I will listen to the experts,” he said.
He also noted that in order to support those affected by the restrictions he created the program MasxCoche, which helps government workers organize carpools, and had made the RTP bus, the trolleybus and the light rail free.
Mancera clarified that the removal of fees will not be expanded to other public transportation services, including the Metrobus and the Metro, especially the Metro, which faces a difficult financial situation. The federal government had recently refused to help Mexico City improve the Metro.
The mayor said that he will use public transportation during the three-month period, and that he will not drive his own car or government cars.
Secretary of Social Development José Ramón Amieva Gálvez tweeted a photo of himself sharing a ride with three other people, that he said was organized through the MásxCoche program.
En camino @Del_Iztapalapa acompañado de la Sra. Carolina, Ernesto y Antonio compartimos transporte en #CDMX pic.twitter.com/26lyse6L3L
— José Ramón Amieva (@amievajoserra) April 5, 2016
