Motorcycle limitation to be applied in Jakarta after Ramadan

The Jakarta city administration will start limiting accesses for motorcycles in a number of main thoroughfares in the capital to help settle acute traffic jam problems after Ramadan.

Deliberation for a regulation for the motorcycle free zones has reached the final stage, Jakarta Police's traffic police director Sr. Comr. Chondro Kirono said in Jakarta Thursday.

“During Lebaran (Idul Fitri celebration) Jakarta will be deserted (as many of its residents will go home to attend get-togethers with their relatives), the regulation will directly be applied,” Chondro said as quoted by kompas.com news portal.

Chondro said that the regulation would applied only on certain hours, especially the peak hours, on certain roads, where alternative transportation means had already been available.

He said the motorcyclists in the restricted areas would be ask to continue their journeys by public transportation means to be prepared there.

Meanwhile, Julius Aslan, marketing director of motorcycle manufacturing company PT Astra Honda Motor, said that his company would fully support the government's effort to reduce traffic jams in Jakarta.

He hoped that the application of the new regulation would not affect national economic activities which were still growing.

Motorcycles constitutes an important component in productive community's transportation, he said, adding that the majority of workers still preferred to use motorcycles because of their economic level, which could not be compared with other transportation means.

“Actually there should be any limitation. Just give the preference to the public …. if the public transportation means is available and affordable, the motorcyclists will automatically change their mode of transportation,” Julius added.