'New parking system will worsen traffic problems'

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A pilot project for a new on-street parking system is just around the corner, but activists say the scheme will not ease the capital's traffic woes and has little hope of succeeding where other parking systems have failed.

"Worse still, the decision to introduce the new parking system was taken without any public consultation or with the agreement of the City Council," Azas Tigor Nainggolan from the Jakarta Residents Forum told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

"If the city administration fails to provide a reasonable argument (in support of the system), then I suspect it is a project whose benefits will only be enjoyed by a few," he said.

Tigor said any parking system should have only two goals: to ease traffic problems and to increase city revenue.

In Jakarta, he said, on-street parking is the main contributor to traffic congestion and therefore should be limited by increasing parking rates.

"The new system is contrary to the administration's earlier commitment to finding a way to reduce the use of private cars," he said.

Starting next month, the administration will introduce on a limited basis the use of prepaid cards for on-street parking. The new system is a bid to ensure that all parking revenue goes into the city's coffers.

Last year, the city set a revenue target of Rp 32 billion from on-street parking but only collected about 40 percent of this amount.

The new parking system will be operated by a firm appointed by the administration, PT Adi Wira Sembada. It will be introduced as pilot project in five locations: Jl. Agus Salim in Central Jakarta, Jl. Raden Patah in South Jakarta, Jl. Jatinegara Timur in East Jakarta, Jl. Bulevar Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta and Jl. Gajah Mada in West Jakarta.

These five locations are included among the 434 official on- street parking locations in the city, aside from another 87 unofficial on-street parking areas reportedly run by thugs.

PT Adi Wira Sembada assistant general manager Kuntowibisono said car owners would be required to purchase refillable parking cards of varying values. Motorists will give the cards to parking attendants, who will use portable electronic machines to register them. Parking fees will be automatically deducted from the cards depending on how long their cars are parked.

The head of the city's parking agency, Yani Mulyadi, said on Tuesday that parking rates would remain the same at Rp 1,000 per hour.

A prototype parking card shown to reporters on Tuesday was similar in size to a credit card, with the logo of the Artha Graha Group imprinted on it.

Tulus Abadi from the Indonesian Consumers Foundation reacted negatively to the administration's plan.

"The administration should first improve its parking management so there would be no more leakage of parking revenue. Its service also requires improvement, for example compensating car owners should their parked cars be stolen or damaged," Tulus told the Post.

He also questioned the administration's commitment to revising Bylaw No. 5/1999 on parking management. Early drafts of the revision have emphasized the need to reduce on-street parking.

Residents also expressed doubt about the new system, with many saying they were confused as to how it would work.

Bintang, 37, who lives in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, and often parks along Jl. Gajah Mada and in Blok M, South Jakarta, said it would likely be troublesome to get the prepaid cards.

"Wouldn't it be a waste if we don't park in the same location every day if the cards have a limited use?" he asked.