[sustran] More on Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits theroad

[Eric Bruun]

Bus lanes might well make traffic worse in other lanes, but the question has
to be asked: How much more capacity in terms o people does it create? The
unspoken objection is often that the elite don't get to have first priority
on road space.

Eric


----- Original Message -----
From: <whook at itdp.org>
To: <sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>; <sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2004 3:33 PM
Subject: [sustran] Re: ST: Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits
theroad


well, its a great thing that they went forward with this.

of course many problems that have been being pointed out for more than one
year have not yet been fixed, but now they see for themselves the problems.
they are all easily fixable within one year or so.

anyway, we will release our full technical review on our web site in a
couple days.

best
walter

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Barter, Paul paulbarter at nus.edu.sg
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 12:03:22 +0800
To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
Subject: [sustran] ST: Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits the
road


Any views on this from sustran-discussers? Is it well done? Is it a
completely public sector project? Will it be a winner and prove critics
wrong? Will initial problems be given a chance to be ironed out?
Paul
----------------------

Straits Times Interactive
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,230381,00.html?

JAN 16, 2004
Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits the road
Hundreds jostle for free rides as traffic gets worse along route
By Devi Asmarani
STRAITS TIMES INDONESIA BUREAU

JAKARTA - The city's controversial new busway system was launched
yesterday by Governor Sutiyoso amid a barrage of criticism and concerns
that it would worsen the already horrific traffic congestion in the
capital.

The 250 billion rupiah (S$50.3 million) Trans-Jakarta Busway system is
the first of an ambitious seven-year project to put in place a mass
transportation system.
Included in the plans are a monorail and an MRT system.

The aim is to build a comfortable and reliable public transport system
to encourage commuters and city dwellers to leave their private cars at
home.

At the launch ceremony yesterday, the Indonesian capital's controversial
governor said: 'Busway is the answer to our problems, but it is just the
first part of a comprehensive plan to ease the traffic in Jakarta.'

Fifty-six specially built buses, each of which has a capacity of 85
passengers, began plying the 12.9km route which runs from the bus
terminal in the popular Blok M shopping complex to the bustling
Chinatown area.

The buses pick up and drop off passengers at bus shelters on the central
median strip.
The service is free for the first two weeks. Hundreds of people swarmed
many of the 20 bus shelters to try the air-conditioned buses.

Chaos reigned at some of the bus shelters, with people jostling for free
tickets.
One passenger, Mrs Lena, said: 'It's definitely a lot more comfortable,
although it costs twice as much as the bus I normally take.'

The new buses take less than half the time taken by regular buses to
travel that stretch of road, which sees some of the worst traffic
congestion in the city.
But the busway operation - which takes up the outermost lane of an
already congested street - confirmed fears that it would worsen the
traffic situation.

Hundreds of buses now plying that route will no longer operate there
from today, and many people fear that the busway system will not be able
to cope with the load of some 50,000 people travelling the route every
day.

To make matters worse, the promised feeder service - supporting buses
which are to serve routes not covered by the Trans-Jakarta buses - are
not yet operational.
Guests at yesterday's ceremony, which was followed by a trip on the new
buses to Chinatown, included diplomats, businessmen and celebrities.
But noticeably absent was Transport Minister Agum Gumelar and other
Cabinet ministers who were invited to the event.

Mr Agum had previously expressed his disapproval of the project, which
he said was implemented hastily.

Commenting on this, Mr Sutiyoso said: 'The central government did not
even feel compelled in the least to participate in the development of
the transportation infrastructure in this city, although they will enjoy
its benefit.'

Copyright @ 2003 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Forwarded in the interests of education and research

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