The Jakarta Provincial Government is set to expand the motorcycle ban on the main CBD thoroughfare in Central Jakarta to include Jalan Sudirman.
The current motorcycle ban, which was designed to limit traffic congestion on Jakarta’s busiest streets, is enforced on the stretch of road comprising of Jalan M.H. Thamrin and Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat. This is to be expanded all the way down to Bunderan Senayan (Senayan Roundabout), the southernmost end of Jalan Sudirman.
“At the latest we will commence a trial period by September,” said Sigit Wijatmoko, deputy head of the Jakarta Transportation Agency, as quoted by Kompas today.
Sigit added that once the ban is officially enforced, it will come into effect every day without exception.
Details of the ban’s trial period were not revealed, but a similar trial was introduced before the enforcement of the first motorcycle ban on Jalan M.H. Thamrin and Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat in 2014. Back then, there was a one month socializing period of the new regulation, during which time those caught violating the rules were only given warnings.
Once the ban officially came into effect, motorcyclists caught violating the ban are subject to a Rp 500,000 fine.
The 2014 ban was widely criticized as “discriminatory” against motorcyclists, and a lawsuit was even filed against the government on that basis. However, the lawsuit died over the years as people began to accept the ban.
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