E

ven though the Idul Fitri celebration at the end of Ramadhan is still about a month away, the Central Java administration has already called on people not to ride motorbikes for the mass exodus because of the high rate of accidents in the region.

Head of the Transportation Agency’s land transportation division, Untung Sirinanto, said the administration had prepared alternative transportation in anticipation.

“We offer free trips on buses and ships for people to travel home,” Untung said recently.

An estimated 1.3 million Idul Fitri travelers are expected to enter Central Java from other regions, especially Jakarta.

Untung said, the provincial administration had organized free travel in the vessel KRI Banda Aceh with capacity for 1,000 motorbikes and 1,500 passengers.

The ship will leave Tanjung Priok in Jakarta for Tanjung Emas in Semarang on Aug. 16 and return to Jakarta on Aug. 23.

Apart from that, 190 buses are planned in cooperation with other administrations across the province.

This excludes 12,500 public buses deployed during the annual mass exodus with a combined capacity of some 1 million passengers daily.

“If travelers insist on riding motorbikes, the police will escort them, especially along the Pantura northern coastal highway,” Untung said. A number of rest areas are planned to help reduce fatigue.

Untung asked motorcyclists not to take the Pantura highway and avoid traffic congestion on busy highways.

“Improved alternative routes will be ready 10 days prior to Idul Fitri,” he said.

The province ranked first last year in term of Idul Fitri traffic accidents with 959 cases claiming the lives of 69 people and seriously injuring 203 more.

Waluyo, of the Alliance of Independent Riders, said that he chose a motorcycle for the mass exodus because it was the cheapest mode of transportation. “Both train and bus tickets are too expensive for me,” said the employee of a private company.

Transportation expert Djoko Setijowarno suggested the government consider why travelers chose motorcycles over other transportation.

“The schedules of public buses and trains are almost unpredictable,” Djoko said.

He said the government should give subsidies to travelers to ensure that they chose public transportation and left their motorbikes behind, thus reducing the number of motorbikes on the roads during the annual exodus.