Develop Public Transportation, Surabaya City Government Ready To Implement BTS

ILLUSTRATION/ Urban Surabaya/ Antara HO Surabaya City Government

SURABAYA - The Surabaya City Government is ready to synergize with the Central Government and the East Java Provincial Government (Pemprov) to develop buy the service (BTS) in the City of Heroes. The BTS program is a program of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) to invite people to use public transportation.

"The development of the BTS aims to overcome transportation problems in urban areas," said Head of the Surabaya City Transportation Service (Dishub), Irvan Wahyu Drajat, in Surabaya, Thursday, November 24.

Irvan said he was ready to run the BTS program in Surabaya. He believes that BTS can run in accordance with the objectives of the Central Government and the East Java Provincial Government, especially since the city government has made road-based mass transportation in the form of the Suroboyo Bus since 2018.

"Since 2018, we have used the Suroboyo Bus. In accordance with the vision of the Mayor of Surabaya, how to create a modern and suitable means of transportation," he said.

According to Irvan, this vision will feel incomplete if it is not balanced with the mission of the Mayor of Surabaya. One of them is collaborating with the Central Government and the East Java Provincial Government, to overcome congestion in the middle of the city using BTS.

He is sure, with BTS transportation in the city of Surabaya will be integrated and can be connected to each other. Such as road transportation-based transportation with rail-based transportation in the future. "We hope that the BTS program will answer the integration of transportation. Including being able to connect between one transportation to another," he said.

Currently, continued Irvan, the Surabaya City Government is focusing on spatial planning and preparing infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, modern and suitable urban transportation. Not only focusing on providing mobility, but also developing a clustering system to consider time and cost. So, when people use public transportation, they will feel comfortable.

"So we prefer a clustering system, like the one in the Mayor's work program, 5 Surabaya Maju Hijau Organized. In that program there is a school zoning, we provide parks, public space, culinary tourism centers (SWK), hospitals, play facilities and so on. etc. From all of that, it can be reached by means of transportation with a distance that is not too far away. Like abroad, it is identical to the fifty minutes of people's movement, "he said.

To support the BTS program, the Surabaya City Government has implemented electronic payments or ticketing on the Suroboyo Bus. Like QRIS (QR Code) and tapping like on toll roads, it is hoped that this method is in line with the Central Government and East Java Provincial Government programs in implementing BTS.

The plan is for the operation of the BTS route in 2021 - 2022, the Surabaya City Transportation Agency will operate route 2, namely the Raya Lidah Wetan - Karang Menjangan - ITS PP route. This route will be connected to other routes. Meanwhile, in 2022 - 2023, he and his staff are preparing five other routes that will be connected to Sidoarjo and Gresik.

"So, later there will be connectivity between the Purabaya Terminal, Lidah Wetan and Gresik. Then there will also be connectivity at the Purabaya Terminal to Sidoarjo, with this route it is hoped that this route will be able to answer the congestion problem in the city," he explained.

In addition, the Surabaya City Government together with the Surabaya Transportation Agency still have homework (PR) to prepare 11 other routes in 2022 - 2023. This new route is planned to reach the Karangpilang area, Ampel, until it is connected to the Pasar Turi area which can later be connected to transportation-based rail.

"In accordance with the East Java Provincial Government's plan to build the Surabaya Railway. The route will also be connected to Pasar Turi Station, according to the plan, it will be connected to rail-based transportation modes. Including route 8 with the Sier - RSAL - Tanjung Perak PP route. With this trans mode (Suroboyo Bus) areas throughout the city of Surabaya can be served," he explained.

In order for the BTS program to run more optimally, the Surabaya Transportation Agency also applies a push strategy as a supporter. The first step is traffic demand management, this includes progressive parking and the provision of parking space (park and ride), for private vehicles around the Suroboyo Bus BTS route and feeder. This method is to make it easier for people to switch to public transportation services.

Meanwhile, second, there is a time and space arrangement for private vehicles that pass on certain roads, which are passed by the BTS Suroboyo Bus and Feeder routes. Third, the application of Suroboyo Bus and Feeder fares to make it affordable for the community and to integrate tickets with intermodal and park and ride. Fourth, the connectivity of the BTS route connects the Suroboyo bus, feeder and city transportation modes at Purabaya Terminal and Osowilangun Terminal.

"While the fifth, the connectivity of the BTS route also connects the terminal, train station, port, Juanda airport, trade and shopping district, office district, and other public facilities," he said.

Starting in 2022, continued Irvan, the Surabaya City Government and the Surabaya Transportation Agency will carry out feeder repairs which are planned to enter villages and housing. This feeder transportation will be a pilot project and three routes will be prepared.

"We have PR, actually there are 71 feeder routes, with the hope that they can quickly be integrated with the BTS pattern. However, for the feeder route, we are currently investigating to get there. Next year, we will conduct a pilot project for 36 feeder units. for three routes, to support Suroboyo Bus," he concluded.