Why the parking fee hike?

Why the parking fee hike?

From Media Indonesia

The media has recently carried reports that the Jakarta city administration is planning to raise parking fees. Many arguments have been put forward to support this plan and the most outstanding is the one suggested by the city's parking management company BP Parkir DKI. It argues that this hike will help reduce the number of private cars on the city's streets and therefore ease traffic jams.

This argument makes little sense as there is no relationship between parking fees, the use of private cars and traffic congestion.

In my opinion, traffic jams are mainly caused by poor discipline on the part of drivers, particularly those driving public transport vehicles. Also responsible for traffic jams are street vendors in some streets. (Take a look at the streets round Kampung Rambutan bus terminal, Pulogadung bus terminal, Ciputat, Blok M, Tanah Abang, Cijantung and Senen Triangle.)

Obviously, it is not right to raise parking fees now, especially because the government is also planning to increase fuel prices. What actually is the benefit of raising parking fees, then?

DONNY AKHMAD NOORZAMAN Jakarta