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US$35 fine awaits motorists caught using bicycle lanes
The fine will be in place once an ongoing trial run of the new bicycle lanes is completed.
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Improper parking: A compressed natural gas-powered blue "bajaj" (three-wheeled motorized vehicles) is parked in a bicycle lane in Blok M, South Jakarta, effectively blocking it for cyclists. (The Jakarta Post/Iqbal Yuwansyah)
T
he Jakarta Police have warned motorists not to drive on the capital’s newly minted bicycle lanes — unless they want to face a fine of up to Rp 500,000 (US$35.33).
“According to Article 287 point 1 of the Traffic Law regarding traffic sign violations, [violators] will be fined Rp 500,000 or face a two-month jail sentence,” Jakarta Traffic Police law enforcement division head Sr. Adj. Comr. Muhammad Nasir said as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.
He emphasized that the fine would be enforced because bicycle lanes were protected by Law No. 22/2009 on traffic and land transportation. According to Article 25(g), every street must be equipped with facilities for bicycles, pedestrians and the disabled.
“Bicyclists have the right to access facilities that will ensure security, order and trouble-free traffic,” Nasir said.
The fine will be in place once an ongoing trial run of the new bicycle lanes is completed. The trial run will be held in three phases based on location over the course of two months. The first phase, from Sept. 20 to Nov. 19 includes seven lanes on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, Jl. M.H Thamrin, Jl. Imam Bonjol, Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro, Jl. Proklamasi, Jl. Pramuka and Jl. Pemuda in Central Jakarta.
Phase two covers lanes on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Jl. Panglima Polim and Jl. RS Fatmawati in South Jakarta starting from Saturday to Nov. 19.
Jakarta Transportation Agency official Christianto said agency personnel would raise public awareness about the bicycle lanes along those four roads by cycling in them every day for three hours a day starting on Saturday.
In phase three, the trial run will apply to lanes on Jl. Tomang Raya, Jl. Cideng Timur, Jl. Kebon Sirih, Jl. Matraman Raya, Jl. Jatinegara Barat and Jl. Jatinegara Timur in West Jakarta and is scheduled to run from Nov. 2 to 19. (ami)
