Many Jakartans on Sunday said they objected to the city administration's plan to raise parking fees to deter residents from driving cars, saying there were better ways to reduce traffic.

Respati Wulandari, a resident of Joglo, West Jakarta, said new on and off-street parking fees would not stop car owners from using their cars because cars were the most comfortable mode of transportation for many.

"Most people buy cars because public transportation is uncomfortable, old and hot. I don't think the parking fee scheme will work, especially among the urban elite," she said.

She usually spends Rp 20,000 per day on a 10-hour parking ticket at her office on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, she said.

Another car driver, Indah, said residents did not shift to public transportation when the government increased fuel prices. She said she doubted the problem could be solved by raising parking fees.

"If the city administration increases parking fees, they should do it gradually," she said.

The city administration is currently mulling over raising parking fees after receiving recommendation from the Jakarta Transportation Council.

Edi Toet Hendratno, the council's chairman, said his organization recommended the city administration reduce the number of on-street parking spots. They also recommended that the administration raise the off-street parking fee from Rp 1,000 to Rp 4,000 per hour.

"Ideally, Jakarta should only have off-street parking because on-street parking eats up road space and causes congestion," he said.

Most Jakartans prefer on-street parking areas because the fee is lower than the off-street one. On-street parking costs between Rp 1,000 and Rp 2,000 for the whole day, while off-street parking costs Rp 2,000 for the first hour and Rp 1,000 for each additional hour.

As a result, Edi said, most businessmen in the parking sector experienced loss and were not interested in constructing parking buildings outside commercial buildings. Investors proposed that the city raise the fee to Rp 7,500 for the first two hours to make the business profitable, he said.

The parking fee has not increased since 2004, when it increased from Rp 1,000 to Rp 2,000.

The council also recommended a study on parking zones for off-street parking buildings.

Edi said that areas passed by many vehicles should have multistory parking buildings and that parking fees in business districts should be higher than in other areas.

"For example, the fee in business districts is Rp 10,000 per hour. In the end, people will leave their cars and use public transportation or busway," he said.

Edi said the city administration should give potential parking investors incentives such as tax reliefs, increased parking fees and tax holidays.

"The city administration can offer their idle land to the private companies for the parking areas. It is better to have the private sector handle parking because they are profit oriented and more accountable," he said.

Earlier, Governor Fauzi Bowo said he had agreed to the council's recommendations.

"We will raise the off-street fee and we will set a higher amount for the on-street fee," Fauzi said.

He said the fee scheme would help boost city revenue and reduce congestion.(fmb)

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