Experts urge postponement of busway despiteb bylaw
Experts urge postponement of busway despiteb bylaw
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Experts urged on Wednesday the postponement of the controversial
busway project due to the absence of an integrated transportation
plan, but city councillors appear set to approve a bylaw
providing a legal basis for the project.
Ofyar Z. Tamin, a transportation expert from the Bandung
Institute of Technology (ITB), suggested that the city
administration postpone its plan to launch the busway project, or
the bus rapid transit (BRT) system, as it is officially known,
until the city had a macro transportation concept.
He advised the city administration to synchronize all the
existing means of transportation, like railways, full-sized
buses, medium-sized buses and small transportation vehicles, so
as to create an integrated system.
He said the effort to integrate the various means of
transportation should be included in the draft bylaw on
transportation being discussed by city administration officials
and the City Council.
"Lack of integration has been the main cause of the chaotic
transportation situation in the city," he said during a seminar
here.
Similar comments were made by the director of urban
transportation systems at the transportation ministry, Suripno,
who said that the integration of transportation means would
create more efficient and sustainable transport.
According to Suripno, creating an integrated transportation
system needed a strong commitment from all stakeholders including
the legislature, executive, public transportation operators, law
enforcers, and transportation users.
"Without a strong commitment from all those involved, an
integrated transportation system will never be created," Suripno
added.
The experts' criticisms are unlikely to be heard, with the
City Council continuing the discussion on the transportation
bylaw, seemingly oblivious to what the public thinks.
In its overview, the council's development commission approved
the administration-proposed bylaw, which covers various means of
transportation, including the busway project.
If no significant obstacles are met, the bylaw will be
endorsed by the council next month.
Development commission member Tjuk Sudono denied that the
planned approval was aimed at merely smoothing the way for the
launching of the busway project in December.
"We have set ourselves the target of approving the draft by
mid August, although there are many issues that still need to be
discussed. We will have to work hard on this," said Tjuk, from
the National Mandate Party.
Transportation observers earlier criticized the city
administration, saying the busway project was poorly prepared and
explained to the public.
It is feared the project will only increase traffic congestion
in the city as well as damaging the environment due to the plan
to erect bus shelters in the median strips on Jl. Sudirman and
Jl. Thamrin.
Undeterred by the public criticism, the administration is
pressing ahead with the project, and the current draft bylaw
appears to be designed to serve as a legal umbrella to cover it.
The project will extend some 15 kilometers from the Blok M
area in South Jakarta to downtown Kota in West Jakarta.
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Experts urged on Wednesday the postponement of the controversial
busway project due to the absence of an integrated transportation
plan, but city councillors appear set to approve a bylaw
providing a legal basis for the project.
Ofyar Z. Tamin, a transportation expert from the Bandung
Institute of Technology (ITB), suggested that the city
administration postpone its plan to launch the busway project, or
the bus rapid transit (BRT) system, as it is officially known,
until the city had a macro transportation concept.
He advised the city administration to synchronize all the
existing means of transportation, like railways, full-sized
buses, medium-sized buses and small transportation vehicles, so
as to create an integrated system.
He said the effort to integrate the various means of
transportation should be included in the draft bylaw on
transportation being discussed by city administration officials
and the City Council.
"Lack of integration has been the main cause of the chaotic
transportation situation in the city," he said during a seminar
here.
Similar comments were made by the director of urban
transportation systems at the transportation ministry, Suripno,
who said that the integration of transportation means would
create more efficient and sustainable transport.
According to Suripno, creating an integrated transportation
system needed a strong commitment from all stakeholders including
the legislature, executive, public transportation operators, law
enforcers, and transportation users.
"Without a strong commitment from all those involved, an
integrated transportation system will never be created," Suripno
added.
The experts' criticisms are unlikely to be heard, with the
City Council continuing the discussion on the transportation
bylaw, seemingly oblivious to what the public thinks.
In its overview, the council's development commission approved
the administration-proposed bylaw, which covers various means of
transportation, including the busway project.
If no significant obstacles are met, the bylaw will be
endorsed by the council next month.
Development commission member Tjuk Sudono denied that the
planned approval was aimed at merely smoothing the way for the
launching of the busway project in December.
"We have set ourselves the target of approving the draft by
mid August, although there are many issues that still need to be
discussed. We will have to work hard on this," said Tjuk, from
the National Mandate Party.
Transportation observers earlier criticized the city
administration, saying the busway project was poorly prepared and
explained to the public.
It is feared the project will only increase traffic congestion
in the city as well as damaging the environment due to the plan
to erect bus shelters in the median strips on Jl. Sudirman and
Jl. Thamrin.
Undeterred by the public criticism, the administration is
pressing ahead with the project, and the current draft bylaw
appears to be designed to serve as a legal umbrella to cover it.
The project will extend some 15 kilometers from the Blok M
area in South Jakarta to downtown Kota in West Jakarta.