Surge of Motorcycles Needs to be Anticipated

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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The expansion of vehicle restrictions using an odd-even license plate system has the potential to increase the number of motorcycles in Jakarta. The transition from private cars to motorbikes must be anticipated from the start so as not to add to the congestion on 16 new roads to be affected by the even-odd system or on alternative roads.Based on the Jakarta Transportation Department\'s evaluation, during the implementation of the odd-even rules on Jl. MH Thamrin from October to December 2018 and from January to July 2019, the proportion of private cars using the street dropped from 33.28 percent to 24.87 percent. However, the proportion of motorbikes actually increased dramatically from 56.74 percent to 72.26 percent.

The head of the Jakarta Transportation Department, Syafrin Liputo, said at Jakarta City Hall on Wednesday that a surge of motorcycle users would be anticipated. In the future, traffic control would aim for the “canalization” of motorbikes.

"Indeed, at certain times [drivers of] motorbikes lack discipline in using lanes. We will direct the motorcycles into the leftmost lane so that we can guarantee the safety, comfort and security of motorcycle drivers,” said Syafrin.

Even-odd expansion

The Jakarta Transportation Department has announced the expansion of the even-odd restriction areas in the capital, starting from 9 September 2019. The dissemination of the information regarding the new rules is to take place from 7 August to 8 September. Trials are to be carried out from 12 August to 6 September 2019.

A total of 16 new roads are to be affected by the odd-even traffic system: first Jl. Tomang Raya, Jl. Kyai Caringin, Balikpapan, Suryopranoto, Majapahit, Hayam Wuruk, Gajah Mada, Pintu Besar Selatan, Pramuka, Salemba Raya and Kramat Raya and then Jl. Senen Raya, Gunung Sahari, Sisingamangaraja, Panglima Polim and Fatmawati (from the Jl. Ketimun intersection to the TB Simatupang intersection).

The odd-even traffic system was previously implemented on sections of nine arterial roads. They were Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. MH Thamrin, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Jl. S Parman (from the Tomang Raya intersection to the Jl. KS Tubun intersection), Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. MT Haryono, HR Rasuna Said, DI Panjaitan and Ahmad Yani. The odd-even area extension does not apply to motorcycles. Thus, Jakarta does not yet have a motorcycle restriction policy.

Motorcycle restrictions had been implemented on Jl. MH Thamrin to Sudirman in mid-September 2017. However, the policy was revoked in January 2018 when the Jakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 195/2014 and Jakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 141/2015 concerning motorcycle restrictions were cancelled by the Supreme Court. After that, the discourse on limiting motorcycles through odd and even rules has been raised several times, but nothing more has been done.

Transportation observer Djoko Setijowarno of the Catholic University of Soegijapranata said that the expansion of the odd-even traffic restriction area did not touch on the roots of the problem of congestion in the capital. In fact, it had been mentioned in a Jakarta Transportation Department study that congestion was partly caused by the large number of motorbikes in Jakarta.

The coordinator for the committee for the elimination of leaded gasoline, Ahmad Safrudin, said that the odd-even expansion would not be effective if it was only partial and did not affect all areas of Jakarta. Moreover, he said there were many “ratlines” around the city. It would only change the sources of pollution but it all goes into the Jakarta sky.

It can even worsen the condition because the rule does not apply to motorbikes. In fact, the number of motorbikes in Jakarta accounted for 74 percent of private motor vehicles. "So people can move to motorbikes. In fact, even the odd goal is to encourage people to move to public transportation," he said. According to Safrudin, the odd-even policy should be applied to all of Jakarta and to all private motorized vehicles.

At present public transportation is considered to be adequate so there is no reason not to adopt such as policy. The provincial government of Jakarta should be firm so that people have no choice but to use public transportation.

Alternative routes

Syafrin did not deny that the expansion of the odd-even rules had the potential to cause congestion in alternative routes. He said the city transportation office would regulate the duration of traffic lights at locations prone to traffic jams.

The transportation office would also monitor congestion on alternative routes through surveillance cameras (CCTV) that are connected to the central control room. Meanwhile, the office would assign officers on alternative routes that do not have traffic lights.

PT Transportation Jakarta, as the Transjakarta bus operator, expects to open six new routes and operate 20 to 30 small buses on each route. However, it depends on the readiness of the operator. "Because we will not use our own fleet. They will be served by small buses [Mikrotrans]. For small buses, the preparation will take three months, but we have started the process, "said AchmadIzzul, the director of services and development of Transjakarta.

Separately, the head of the Jabodetabek Transportation Management Agency, Bambang Prihartono, said he supported the expansion of the odd-even system. The expansion needs to be done because the movement of people in Jabodetabek has now increased dramatically to 100 million per day, he said.

In fact, two years ago, the movement of people was only 50 million per day. "The movement of the people also produces air pollution. That\'s why we arrange it but we don\'t ban it, "Bambang said. (BOW/VAN GIO/WAD/IRE/DEA)

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