Busway more harm than good

Busway more harm than good

From Warta Kota

Jakarta's current busway and the three-in-one traffic rule should be reviewed before the planned Pulo Gadung to Kalideres busway route is implemented, because both have done more harm than good.

Reducing the width of already-packed roads by introducing busway transport is, in my view, an egoistic policy. With three lanes in a muddle and another almost vacant, the traffic jams that plague ordinary people will not be relieved.

The provincial administration should learn from previous failures in operating seat-only express, air-conditioned and morning/afternoon buses, while taking action against buses that belch pollution and are overcrowded.

In the meantime, alternative roads become highly congested, particularly during peak hours, causing a waste of fuel and time. The monorail system will be a better solution, provided the fares are reasonable.

Monorail construction, however, should proceed at night so as not to disrupt traffic, and be completed without delay. The benefits of monorail transport will be greater than those hoped for from the busway and three-in-one combined.

B. GUNAWAN Jakarta