City considers new fee scheme in three-in-one area

JAKARTA (JP): The city is considering selling monthly stickers allowing motorists to enter Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl. Gatot Subroto in rush hours, to raise revenue and prevent traffic jams.

The high fees for the stickers would prevent too many motorists from using the routes, and do away with the need for the minimum three-in-one car rule that applies from 6:30 to 10 a.m. in these areas.

Deputy Governor for Economic and Development Affairs Tb. M. Rais confirmed yesterday that discussions on the congestion fees were on-going.

But he said he did not know of plans to set the stickers' price at Rp 40,000 to Rp 50,000 as was reported by local newspapers.

He said the rush hour sticker system may not have to be applied if other policies discouraging the use of private cars, such as higher parking fees, were effective.

"Our main objective is to limit the number of private cars, and the solution is mass rapid transportation," Rais said.

But people were entitled to own cars and even if subways or other means of easing traffic were built, the city still had to work out ways to cope with a likely increase of cars and limited infrastructure such as roads, he said.

Rais said the sticker policy was being discussed together with the plans for a new parking rule which would raise parking fees.

"The policy is not only intended to remove the joki," he said, referring to the children and adults earning money being passengers in three-in-one areas.

The practice has been common, though unofficial, since the three-in-one policy was introduced in 1992.

Motorists pay up to Rp 2,000 for joki, to avoid having to travel the congested alternative roads.

If the sticker plan becomes effective the monthly fees will go to the city's revenue agency.

Rais said the sticker system still needed lengthy deliberation, as a control mechanism should be created to supervise implementation, and avoid the possibility of forged stickers.

Until any decision was reached, "the three-in-one policy remains," he said.

Meanwhile M. Djufrie, a council deputy, said paying Rp 50,000 a month would not deter motorists from using private cars.

"The aim of reducing congestion would not be reached," he said.

Zakirudin Djamin, a member of Commission E for social welfare, said he agreed with the sticker system proposal. He said it would discourage young people from missing classes, as they often did to earn easy money being joki.

Officials earlier said the congestion fees would be one way of raising city funds for the planned subway from Blok M, South Jakarta, to downtown Kota. But later they said the city would wait for the new law on fees and taxes. (anr/11)