TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Transportation Office deputy chief Sigit Wijiyatmoko said that motorcycle restrictions on Jalan M.H. Thamrin and Sudirman are aimed at reducing traffic accidents.

Sigit said that the administration has conducted a feasibility study and held discussions over motorcycle restrictions. He said that the policy will be implemented gradually.

“[We will conduct] dissemination, trial and evaluation. If evaluation results prove to be positive, it will be adopted as a policy,” he said.

Sigit said that the administration will be conducting a trial run of motorcycle restrictions from Hotel Indonesia Roundabout to Senayan Roundabout on September 12.

Indonesia Road Safety Association official Rio Octaviano has questioned the Jakarta administration over motorcycle restrictions. He said that Central Jakarta does not have the highest accident rate.

“It’s North Jakarta. [The administration] sees it as a way to reduce accidents; but in our opinion, it’s only a ‘camouflage’,” he said in Jakarta.

Rio said that the Jakarta administration only wants to tackle congestion by banning motorcycle. He said that motorcycle restrictions policy should be applied in North Jakarta instead.

He has suggested the government establish a safe, comfortable, affordable public transportation.

“It’s a must; we have long called for it. If [public transportation] is not yet affordable, don’t restrict [motorcycle] because we are survivors,” he said.

FRISKI RIANA