The city administration has decided to continue with a trial on banning container and oversized trucks from accessing the inner-city toll road until June 10, despite disapproval from the transportation minister.

Governor Fauzi Bowo reiterated Friday that the city would stick with the restriction as agreed by elements of the regional administration.

“We have decided what’s best [for the city]. I don’t know what the transportation minister took as consideration for his disapproval. He hasn’t communicated with me,” Fauzi told reporters.

Earlier this month, the administration extended a ban on trucks traveling on five sections of the inner-city toll road network for one month after a limited five-day ban on the Cawang-Tomang section in conjunction to the 18th ASEAN Summit on May 7-8.

The ban was later expanded to include four other inner-city toll roads, the Pluit-Tomang section, the Cawang-Tanjung Priok, the Cawang-Pasar Rebo and the Cawang-Cikunir sections. The ban lasts from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The city has been planning to impose a total ban on trucks traveling on the inner-city toll road, aimed at reducing congestion on the city’s roads, especially during rush hour.

Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi reportedly has issued a decree against the truck ban.

Gemilang Tarigan from the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) said the organization has received a copy of the minister decree early Friday. The Organda had ordered truck drivers to defy police redirection.

“It was mentioned in the decree that the ban was revoked immediately,” he said.

Separately on Friday, Jakarta Transportation Agency chief Udar Pristono said that he had also received a copy of the decree.

“The city will, however, continue with the truck ban trial. We need to see how effective the ban is to help reducing traffic congestion in Jakarta,” Pristono told The Jakarta Post.

Pristono said that a meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy last week has approved the trial to continue, with adjustments to be made when necessary.

According to him, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Jakarta Police Directorate for Traffic, state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga and private toll road operator PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada, Organda and the Transportation Ministry.

“We have made adjustments by allowing trucks to pass Cawang-Tanjung Priok section during the day to prevent vehicles backing up along the Jakarta Outer Ring Road, Jl. Raya Serpong and the Cakung-Cilincing section,” Pristono said.

“We are expecting those in the transportation business to also make changes by not holding all loading activities during the day, for example, or optimizing transport during the night,” he added.

Governor Fauzi said Law No. 32/2004 on Local Government gave the regional administration autonomy to regulate all matters except for foreign, financial, defense and security, religious and legal affairs.

Fauzi said that the policy did not ban trucks, but redirected them. “The ban was a popular demand,” Fauzi said.

The Jakarta branch of the Organda has opposed the ban, saying it had caused delays in loading activity at the Tanjung Priok sea port in North Jakarta and resulted in increased distribution costs.

Data showed that container trucks accounted for 30 percent of vehicles on toll roads during rush hour.

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