[sustran] fwd: Jakarta Special bus lane planned

[SUSTRAN Network Secretariat]

I spotted this posted on the web site of the Sustainable Urban Transport
Project (SUTP) in Surabaya (being conducted by GTZ).  http://www.sutp.org/
- which is worth a look. 

This new bus lane proposal looks good - getting the buses away from the
congested kerb-side lane.  But they will need to provide ways for
passengers to reach the new bus stops  in the median. 

Paul
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The Jakarta Post, 13 March 2000

Special bus lane planned for Gambir to Blok M Route

JAKARTA (JP):  The City Traffic and Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) is
to establish a bus lane serving passengers to and from Gambir railway
station in Central Jakarta and Blok M Bus Terminal in South Jakarta, an
official said on Friday evening.

Agency head Buyung Atang said at City Hall the proposed route would likely
utilize the far left of what is currently the street's fast lane. He said
Governor Sutiyoso had agreed to the proposal and had ordered a team to
evaluate it before its enactment.

“The new bus lane will enable buses to use the fast lanes instead of the
slow ones in order to avoid traffic congestion,” he said. “Our main targets
are businesspeople and employees working along the busy streets of Jl. MH
Thamrin, Jl. Sudirman, and Jl. Sisingamangaraja,” Buyung said. “We expect
those people to leave their cars at home and instead use the new buses
which can travel quickly through congested streets.”

Each of the streets to be passed by the buses has three fast lanes and two
slow lanes. Under the new plan, no other vehicles would be allowed to use
the splecial lane. Buyung therefore believes that the new system would help
beat the chronic traffic jams on the route. Unfortunately, he did not
explain how passengers would be able to catch the buses, as they would need
to cross the heavily slow lanes to the curb of the faster lane.

The fare for the new buses has not yet been set, but Buyung assured that it
would not be much more expensive than the current fare of Rp 2.300 (30 US
cents)/passenger for air-conditioned buses in the city. “We will purchase
about 50 buses to serve the new route,” Buyung said, without giving further
details on the budget required.

The kilometer Gambir to Blok M route is one of the busiest in the capital
as it is mostly lined with skyscrapers. The agency also plans to carry out
similar schemes along Jl. Pramuka in East Jakarta and in other heavily
congested routes.