'Improve transportation to ease traffic jams'

'Improve transportation to ease traffic jams'

The city administration announced last week a new license plate-
based restriction could be imposed on all roads in the city,
along with a new busway system later this year. Many motorists
are opposed to this possibility. They told The Jakarta Post they
would leave their cars at home only when public transportation
was reliable, safe and comfortable.

Virna, 24, is a marketing officer at a private company in
Warung Buncit, South Jakarta. She lives in Tomang, West Jakarta,
with her family:

I disagree with the idea because it would be difficult to
implement in real life. I wonder why the proposed policy is being
revealed now, when most city residents are having problems with
transportation.

It sounds unusual and strange, I guess. I'm sure that it will
have no significant effect on transportation problems.

The three-in-one restricted zones do not work well, so forget
about this new proposed policy. It will only drive people to find
ways to get around the rules.

What if a family has two cars with odd license plate numbers
and neither of them can be used for a couple of days? Should we
go by taxi or public transportation? Why do we have cars? It's a
weird policy.

If the idea is to reduce the number of private vehicles on the
road, the government should improve public transportation. Then
taxes, parking fees and the price of private vehicles must be
increased in order to discourage the ownership of a private car.

Nuning H.S., 54, owns an outsourcing company in Radio Dalam,
South Jakarta. The mother of two lives nearby:

I disagree with the license plate-based restriction, despite
the fact that I could deal with the policy. I have three cars and
it would be no problem to use them alternatively based on the
regulation.

However, I am thinking about those who own just one car.

And I do not think the policy would solve the traffic problems
in the city.

The most important thing is that the government should improve
public transportation so as to encourage people to leave their
cars at home. Or the government should ban the use of old cars
that are no longer roadworthy.

I wouldn't have a problem taking public transportation if it
was reliable, safe and comfortable.

And the busway is a dubious project and a waste of the city
budget. It's a lucrative project for a certain group of people
that won't benefit the general public.

Cahyo, 32, is a marketing director at a private company in
South Jakarta. He lives with his wife and daughter in Pamulang,
Tangerang:

I think it's a completely crazy idea. I would be crazy to
agree with it. I would say that (Governor) Sutiyoso better be
ready to be mobbed if he goes forward with the idea.

He should realize that for many people in the lower and middle
classes, the family car is the only reliable means of
transportation.

The rich would probably not be affected by the policy because
they have more than one car. But for other people this would not
work.

If he (Sutiyoso) imposes this policy based on his comparative
studies in Columbia and other Latin American countries, he should
consider differences in geography, culture and the like. Maybe
the system works there, but here it would be prone to
irregularities such as license plate counterfeiting.

Besides, I don't think the police would carefully check all
the passing vehicles to make sure they have the right license
plate. It would be impossible.

I believe this policy to reduce the number of private vehicles
on the road, like the busway project, will fail. I'm sure the
lucrative busway project will only benefit him (Sutiyoso) and his
subordinates.

--Leo Wahyudi S