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Jakarta bans e-scooters from sidewalks, footbridges, roads following fatal accident
The Jakarta Transportation Agency is currently drafting a regulation on electric scooters.
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Workers load all the GrabWheels electronic scooters in the Senayan area of Jakarta onto a truck on Nov. 14. The Jakarta administration plans to impose restrictions on the operation of the scooters following an accident that killed two users. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
T
he popular GrabWheels electric scooters rented out by ride-hailing company Grab Indonesia are no longer to be allowed to freely roam the streets of Jakarta as the city administration is set to restrict the two-wheelers following the deaths of two users in a traffic accident earlier this week.
The Jakarta Transportation Agency is currently drafting a regulation to ensure the safety of the users, agency head Syafrin Liputo said. The service came under fire after two users were hit by a car and died outside of the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) sports complex in Central Jakarta early Monday morning.
The accident prompted the agency to meet with representatives of Grab Indonesia to discuss e-scooter operations.
“We have talked with the operator of the e-scooters and we agreed in order to guarantee the safety and comfort of pedestrians, we will allow more room for them by prohibiting e-scooters from running on sidewalks and pedestrian bridges,” he told reporters on Thursday.
The service, promoted as a green and modern mobility alternative, is only allowed to operate in specific areas, such as GBK. The restrictions apply not only to GrabWheels but also to privately owned e-scooters.
When they go outside the compound, users must use bike lanes instead of sidewalks and must not mix on the streets with other vehicles for the sake of everyone’s safety. People would be discouraged from using e-scooters during Car Free Day events, Syafrin said, adding that his agency would restrict the rental hours from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The city administration plans to fine users if they violate the 2009 Traffic Law, one article of which upholds the rights of pedestrians. The same law also prohibits motorcyclists from driving on sidewalks.
