City motorists reject plans for parking fee hike

JAKARTA (JP): Motorists said yesterday raising parking fees up to Rp 5,000 was too high while a consumer advocate said the plan should be canceled.

They were responding the announcement of a plan, to increase parking fees by between 100 and 500 percent in certain areas, of the City Parking Agency.

In places without parking meters sedans and similar vehicles will be charged Rp 1,000 for one parking period under the proposed plan. Areas with parking meters fees are Rp 1,000 for the first hour; and fees for the same group reach Rp 5,000 in limited parking areas, which are yet to be further defined.

In limited time parking areas using meters, fees will double every hour.

Chairwoman of the Indonesian Consumers' Foundation, Tini Hadad, said even an increase of up to Rp 2,000 for the first hour might only be acceptable in, for instance, expensive shopping centers.

Increased parking fees should only be effective after the city had provided insurance to compensate motorists in case of theft or harm to parked cars and their contents, she said.

"A fee of up to Rp 5,000 is too high as there is no guarantee of the safety of our cars," Tini said.

Tini added improved public transport accessible to all areas should also be provided to anticipate the number of people who would not be able to afford the higher fees.

"The city should first evaluate thoroughly its parking management," she said.

Motorist Meiti Dwianti said an increase of 20 percent might still be acceptable.

"Fuel is already expensive, why do they (the municipality) want to increase parking fees?" she said.

Caroline, a cellular phone saleswoman said an increase of up to Rp 1,000 would be too much because she had to park at least three times a day in different office complexes.

Meanwhile Henri Sudono, an employee at the private-run Bank Angkasa, said the higher fees were expensive for people wanting to park for only 10 minutes.

"But people parking for hours in Glodok or in offices, for instance, would actually consider the fees a small part of necessary expenses," Henri said. He said people who stopped to shop and spend millions of rupiah would not complain of a parking fee of Rp 5,000.

Henri said he did not think the hike would reduce traffic as the plan intends.

"Even now, in some offices people must wait for half an hour to get parking space, but people still prefer driving to their offices. They will pay whatever the fees are."

Two managers of shopping centers aired different views.

Ronald Wattimena, vice manager of operations of PT Pakuwon Subentra Anggreini which runs Blok M Plaza, said the management would try to keep fees at Rp 500 for the first hour, given the tight competition.

"A hike would influence business here. Half our customers use cars... When (nearby shopping center) Seibu was opened, our clients decreased, and three months later they returned. We have to attract people. If possible we will maintain parking fees, at least for a year. Increased fees might be good for the parking business, but not for us," he said.

Hartawan, property manager of Pondok Indah Mall said it would be unlikely that business there would be affected as people only parked for an average two hours, and fees are Rp 500 for two hours.

He said when the Mall opened in 1991 parking was free. It remained free until 1995 when it changed because the parking lot was being used like a garage by some people.

Yesterday Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said the plans are intended to ease traffic by reducing street parking, and to add to city revenue. (13/anr/11)