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Parking fees in Jakarta the second-lowest worldwide
The latest annual survey on parking fees in central business districts worldwide has revealed that Jakarta is the second-cheapest city to park a car
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The latest annual survey on parking fees in central business districts worldwide has revealed that Jakarta is the second-cheapest city to park a car.
According to the 2009 Global CBD Parking Rate Survey, conducted by property consultant Colliers International and released on its official website last week, Jakarta's average monthly parking fee is US$27.20, higher only than Mumbai's $25.68.
The survey tracked monthly unreserved parking rates in 140 downtown parking districts across the Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Other cities with low monthly parking fees are Bangalore and Delhi, at $32.10, Bakersfield at $40, and Manila at $42.
London City topped the global list with the most expensive parking fees, at $1,020.29 per month, followed by London West End at $955.51, Amsterdam at $805.36 per month, Hong Kong at $748.2 and Sydney at $587.72.
The figures are calculated at June 1, 2009, exchange rates.
The survey also tracked relative parking costs on a daily basis. It calculated that drivers in Jakarta pay an average of $1.52 to park their cars in the CBD for a full workday, the fourth-lowest after Bangalore's $1.50, Mumbai's $1.07 and Chennai's 96 US cents.
The low parking costs indicate they have yet to be made a tool to address transportation woes in the city, in terms of limiting the number of private cars to ease congestion, the Institute for Transportation and Development Studies (ITDP) said in response to the survey.
ITDP consultant Tory Damantoro said Thursday it would not be that simple to limit the number of private cars by encouraging motorists to shift to public transportation, because the latter was unreliable.
In the meantime, a large hike in parking fees was the most feasible solution to adopt, because of its deterrent effect for motorists, he said.
"Motorist's should at least feel the pinch through policies that would make them think twice and gradually change their habit. And the most practical way is by raising parking fees," he said.
"Parking fees are a direct cost they must spend. They will feel the impact directly once they are forced to spend more to park their cars.
"It requires simultaneous efforts to ease congestion in the city: developing a sustainable public transportation system and setting up disincentives for private motorists, such as by increasing parking fees."
He added stricter and more comprehensive measures on parking were needed, by regulating parking zones, times and fees.
"The city administration should also evaluate the impacts of parking regulations on traffic congestion," Tory said.
Deputy to the governor on transportation issues, Soetanto Soehodo, said the administration was focusing on developing public transportation while improving the parking system.
He said it was impossible for the city to eradicate on-street parking due to limited space and shoddy public transportation. On-street parking is often blamed for creating congestions.
"Once public transportation has improved and been widely accepted, then we may eliminate the on-street parking; but not just yet," he said.
