The Jakarta Government was planning to begin the trial expansion of the capital’s motorcycle ban, which currently covers parts of the city’s main CBD thoroughfares, on September 12. But it looks like strong opposition from numerous critics, especially Jakarta’s motorcyclist communities, have led Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat to pull back on the ban’s expansion plan.
Djarot said he made the decision after receiving the results of a study by Jakarta Transportation Department Head Andri Yansyah.
“[Andri] has called me and he has given his study, and from that study I ordered the delay, the banners (announcing the trial expansion) will be taken down,” Djarot said at City Hall today as quoted by Kompas.
The current motorcycle ban, which was designed to limit traffic congestion on Jakarta’s busiest streets, is enforced on the stretch of road comprising Jalan M.H. Thamrin and Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat. The trial expansion would have extended the ban all the way down to Bunderan Senayan (Senayan Roundabout), the southernmost end of Jalan Sudirman.
Numerous motorcyclist communities had planned to demonstrate at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Friday to show their opposition to the ban expansion, with organizers saying around 5,000 protesters were set to attend.
Djarot has asked the Transportation Department to review expanding the motorcycle ban policy again after the work on several major flyover and underpass construction projects had been completed. So it looks like motorcyclists should be safe for quite a while.
