Night public transport is urgent: Council

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council has once again urged the municipal administration to provide a night transport system to support the city's service and trade sectors.

"Night transportation is important for transportation of goods, as activities here occur both in daylight and at night time," MH Ritonga, chairman of the council, said Monday.

A night transport system will also be helpful for people who travel home late because they work overtime, Ritonga said as quoted by Antara.

Another advantage is that it will help reduce daytime congestion, especially if container and cargo trucks are only allowed to enter the city at night, said the former city police chief.

Ritonga also called on the city administration to consider extending the three-in-one traffic policy to other streets, saying the restriction has reduced the number of private cars on the road, and in turn eased traffic congestion.

Currently the restriction is only applied on three major roads, Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Gatot Subroto, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

"The city administration should also apply the policy both in the morning and in the afternoon," he added.

Tb Rais, deputy governor for economy and development, said the administration has been considering operating a night transport system and will asked the state-owned transportation company PPD to start with several routes.

However Rais did not say when PPD will start the new system.

"We cannot as yet fix the deadline, but it will not be long now," he said.

Earlier reports said PPD was expected to operate the night buses next month.

He also said the city administration has yet to obtain approval from the Ministry of Transportation for the plan. (lem)