Greater Jakarta needs more traffic signs and lights
Greater Jakarta needs more traffic signs and lights
JAKARTA (JP): The Greater Jakarta area badly needs additional traffic signs, along with traffic lights and bus stops along major roads.
The shortage of traffic signs along major streets prevents police from enforcing the law as fully as possible, City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko told reporters Saturday.
Last month, the government launched a traffic campaign along selected roads in Jakarta and other major cities throughout the country.
Traffic violators ticketed in these areas are asked to pay fines in court themselves. They are no longer allowed to send representatives to court.
Bambang said that the police are catching an increasing number of violators in the targeted areas as the operation progresses, but lamented the lack of traffic signs. He said the signs and other facilities would assist officers greatly in enforcing the law.
"However, it's not the task of the police force to provide these facilities," he said. The installation of traffic signs and other facilities is under the supervision of the Municipal Land Transportation Control Agency and the Jakarta Public Works Office.
"Some bus stops and traffic lights on the selected roads, for example, are damaged, or out of order, and have yet to be repaired," Bambang complained.
Despite the shortage, Bambang said, "We have to continue disciplining the traffic violators in a bid to create proper traffic flow in the Greater Jakarta area, which includes Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor.
This is in line with President Soeharto's instruction to create orderly traffic flow ahead of the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence day this year, the spokesman added.
Ticketed
Bambang said a total of 8,175 violators have been ticketed in the special traffic areas during the operation introduced on Jan. 3.
"Of the number, 1,980 violators were accused of causing traffic jams, most of them by parking indiscriminately," he said.
"A total of 944 others were ticketed for causing traffic accidents by passing other vehicles in the wrong lane, or stopping their cars in prohibited areas," he said.
Only 251 violators were ticketed for lacking proper documents, Bambang said.
Out of the 8,175 violators, a total of 5,167 cases have been processed by the local prosecutors' offices, which have collected over Rp 136 million (US$61,500) in fines.
The fines are set at between Rp 10,000 and Rp 300,000 per violator by the prosecutors, depending on the type of violations, Bambang said.
"Only seven of the 5,167 violators, who have been processed, were found innocent," he said, adding that police officers who ticketed motorists erroneously will get further training.
During the operation, which involves officers from the Municipal Land Transportation Control Agency, the municipality office and military personnel, the city police recorded 11 traffic accidents in the special areas. One person died and 10 were injured in the accidents.
In order to achieve more favorable traffic conditions in the city, the Jakarta police force is allowing middle ranking police officers to ticket any traffic violators they find in the special traffic areas, Bambang said.
"If the public finds any officers abusing their power, just remember their names, ranks and the time and place of the incident. Don't hesitate to report them to their supervisor, or directly to the City Police Chief, through Post Office Box 777, or to the Vice President through Post Office Box 5000," the spokesman said. (bsr)