TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairman of Indonesia Transport Society (MTI) Danang Parikesit said that the odd-even policy planned by Jakarta administration will only result in new issues in areas not subject to it. “Congestion will get worse instead, in areas excluded from odd-even policy,” Danang told Tempo, Thursday, June 20, 2016.

According to Danang, the success of odd even policy will depend on the public response and the aims to be achieved by Jakarta administration. He considered that the odd-even policy could reduce congestion on main thoroughfares, provided that fake license plate practice can be avoided.

Danang said that traffic in Jakarta is generally congested. The implementation of odd-even policy will worsen congestion in areas not subject to the policy. He considered that the implementation of odd-even policy will not encourage the public to shift to public transports. “It would only make them change their routes,” he said.

Danang predicted that if the odd-even policy is implemented, congestion in areas not subject to it will be 20 percent more congested and will need 30 percent more time to travel.

Danang has expressed his preference to the scrapped 3-in-1 rule. The rule was deemed more progressive and had encouraged the maximum use of car seating capacity. However, the downfall of 3-in-1 rule was caused by the lack of policy to support the use of public transport. Also the lack of anticipation and inability to address passenger-in-hire, locally known as the jockeys, during the implementation of the rule.

Jakarta administration will try out the implementation of odd-even policy on July 27, 2016. The system has been picked while the administration prepares for the implementation of the electronic road pricing (ERP). Head of Jakarta Transport Department Andri Yansah said that the system is expected to reduce congestion in Jakarta.

Andri reasoned that cars which license plate ended with odd numbers are of the similar percentage compared to those with even numbers by 50.05 percent to 49.95 percent.

DANANG FIRMANTO