Toll hike may depend on public opinion

Toll hike may depend on public opinion

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar
ensured that the government will take into account
recommendations and opinions before deciding whether to increase
the city's toll road fees.

One suggestion which will be seriously considered is that
users of public transport may not be subjected to the increase,
he said.

His earlier statement that the toll may be increased based on
a proposal by a private toll road construction company has met
both opposition and approval.

The proposal from the company, PT Citra Marga Nusaphala
Persada, will be submitted to President Soeharto after a new 6.8-
kilometer segment from Ancol Timur to Pluit starts operation.

The government is also waiting for the completion of the road
to study the proposal better, he said.

"We will suggest a number of exceptions to the increase," he
said. One of them is that the rate for buses stays at Rp 3,500,
he said.

Of particular concern will be commuters from Tangerang, Bekasi
and Bogor and others who regularly use the tollway such as truck
drivers.

"We hope more people will use tollway coupons, which are 10
percent cheaper," he said. The possible increase will be less
hard on them, he said.

If more people use the coupons, this could lessen congestion
at entry gates, as motorists wait for officers to return change,
he said.

In response to whether motorists can pay just for the distant
they intend to travel on the tollway, Radinal said this is not
possible yet for motorists within the city.

"This will only add to congestion," he said. But this may be
possible with the completion of the outer ring road, he said.

"What is most important now is to lessen congestion on toll
roads," he said. (anr)