Trams please, not more buses!

It was reassuring to read recently in the local media that the city administration is doing something to deal with Jakarta's chronic transport problem, except it is totally misguided in its choice of transport.

The Jl. Sudirman to Blok M traffic corridor is just crying out for a tram system, which could run along the ample space provided in the berm of the road, with stations connected to existing footbridges so as not to interfere with the flow of private transport on either side.

Based upon observations of people's road habits here, does the City Land Transportation Agency really think the planned busway, which will take away a lane of traffic on each side of the road, will do anything to solve chronic congestion along these major thoroughfares? One dinky bus route is really not likely to assuage wealthy Jakartans' manic car-buying habits.

It is a commendable and much needed effort to promote public transport here, but a fallacy to think people are really going to begin abiding by yet more traffic regulations, though giving the frustrated public greater opportunities to flout them should provide the traffic police with a regular income.

Over recent weeks, I have noticed the air pollution has been so bad that smog has obliterated many of the downtown vistas one can usually glimpse in the early morning. Does the city administration really think adding extra exhaust fumes is going to help improve air pollution? Particularly when some of the worst offenders at street-level are buses that have not had their engines tuned properly.

As many city councillors would have observed while on their extensive foreign field trips last year, trams are an ongoing success in places such as Hong Kong and the Netherlands, where they provide cheap, reliable and non-polluting urban public transport for the long term.

ADRIAN SMITH

Jakarta