Jakarta Government Evaluates Cycle Lanes: Some Unmaintained and Used by Other Vehicles

The Jakarta Provincial Government is currently evaluating the existence of cycle lanes in the capital. The evaluation is being carried out because a number of cycle lanes have been found to be unmaintained and used by other vehicles.

Deputy Coordinator of the Special Staff for the Governor of Jakarta, Yustinus Prastowo, stated that the evaluation is based on conditions on the ground. The Jakarta Provincial Government has also received various inputs regarding the cycle lanes.

“The fact is we see it on the ground. Cycle lanes are occupied by other vehicles, some cycle lanes are no longer maintained, some lanes are not connected or linked, some are broken,” Prastowo said at Jakarta City Hall on Wednesday.

Prastowo said the Jakarta Provincial Government has held a number of meetings to discuss the condition of cycle lanes in Jakarta. Input has also been gathered from various parties, including the cycling community.

Currently, the Jakarta Provincial Government is still reviewing a number of options before determining a policy regarding the cycle lanes.

“The phase is that we are still listening to input from the community, there has been a lot of input. Then also from the Transport Council we are discussing, including later from the ITDP,” he said.

According to Prastowo, input from various parties will later become material for discussion before a decision is taken by the Governor of Jakarta, Pramono Anung.

“Based on all of that, it will later be brought to a meeting where the Governor will decide what is best for Jakarta,” he explained.

On the other hand, Prastowo emphasised that evaluating the cycle lanes does not mean the Jakarta Provincial Government intends to neglect the interests of cyclists. He mentioned that the existence of facilities for cyclists remains a mandate that the government must fulfil.

“But in principle, of course this is not in the context of us wanting to marginalise cyclists, that is clearly not the case. Because it is a legal mandate that cyclists must be affirmed and facilitated,” he said.

However, according to him, the issue with cycle lanes that needs a solution is how these facilities can be used safely and effectively.

“On the ground, what we often face currently is that cycle lanes are used by motorcycle taxi lanes or occupied by cars, bajaj, and so on,” he said.

Prastowo assessed that these conditions mean the cycle lanes in Jakarta are no longer sterile and potentially endanger the safety of cyclists.

“So they are not sterile and this impacts safety threats. That is roughly what is still in process,” he concluded.