Road Bike Trial In Sudirman-Thamrin Begins Amid Rejection By Several Parties

Permanent bicycle path (Photo: Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - The DKI Provincial Government has started testing a special lane for road bike cyclists on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman to MH Thamrin today. The trial starts for one week, Monday to Friday at 05.00-06.30 western Indonesia time.

Road bike lane trials are carried out without closing or diverting traffic flow. In the absence of a diversion scheme and traffic closure, cyclists are required to drive on the left lane. Thus, no cyclists enter the motorized vehicle lane.

The DKI Transportation Agency does not separate the road bike path from the motorcycle. There is no barrier between the two vehicles because they are in one lane.

"For the trial of the road bike track in Sudirman-Thamrin, there is no additional lane separator. If there are three lanes, 2 lanes of motorized vehicles in one lane at 5.00-6.30 are focused on road bike activities. So, all-road bike activists are directed to use the leftmost lane," said Head of DKI Dishub Syafrin Liputo, Sunday, June 6.

Although the trial has started, the DKI Provincial Government is still working on rules regarding special road bike lanes, both on Sudirman-Thamrin and the Non-toll Flyover (JLNT) Kampung Melayu-Tanah Abang.

Wadirlantas Polda Metro Jaya AKBP Rusdy Pramana Suryanagara asked road users facilitated in Sudirman-Thamrin to obey traffic rules and respect each other.

"We urge let's respect our fellow road users. From the local government, from the police, we try to accommodate various kinds of interests. Hopefully, everything can go smoothly and mutual respect between fellow road users," Rusdy added

Opposed by a number of parties

The "red carpet" for road bike users has been rejected by a number of parties. Member of the PDIP faction of the DKI DPRD, Gilbert Simanjuntak, considers Anies' plan to provide special lanes for road bikes to be excessive.

Because, according to him, bicycle users are no more than 0.1 percent of the community. After all, Gilbert said cyclists don't pay vehicle taxes. However, they were given a red carpet by providing a special lane on Sudirman-Thamrin Road.

"The red carpet policy for road bike enthusiasts is to hurt people's feelings. These are all policies without study," said Gilbert.

Deputy Chairman of the DPRD from the Gerindra faction Mohamad Taufik also admitted that he did not agree. According to Taufik, the bicycle lane facilities on the left side of the road are sufficient to support residents' cycling activities. Moreover, the bicycle lanes in Sudirman are already protected.

"I think for a bicycle like that, just use the existing bike path. You don't have to build a new track. You don't have to. Just use the existing one," said Taufik.

According to Taufik, the provision of bicycle lanes for people on the highway has a purpose for transportation. Meanwhile, road bike users are racing cyclists who cycle for exercise.

Transportation observer from the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI), Djoko Setijowarno also considers the red carpet for road bikes on weekday mornings to be unnecessary.

Moreover, according to him, the DKI Provincial Government has facilitated the bicycle race track on the Kampung Melayu-Tanah Abang Non-Toll Flyover on Saturday-Sunday at 05.00-08.00 western Indonesia time.

"It should not be done, because there is also a special bicycle lane. It is enough on holidays and weekends, namely Saturday and Sunday (at JLNT Kampung Melayu)," said Djoko.

According to Djoko, the safety and comfort of other road users must also be considered. Moreover, said Djoko, the Velodrome Rawamangun stadium also has bicycle lanes that can be used freely.

Meanwhile, the initial purpose of facilitating cyclists on Sudirman-Thamrin Road was as a means of transportation, not exercise. Thus, a permanent bicycle path was created.

"Actually, the bicycle lanes that have been built along Sudirman-Thamrin are intended for shifting bicycles for work every day, not for sports. If you do sports with road bikes, you really have to go to the stadium, like motorcycle or car racing on the circuit" said Djoko.

City planning observer from the Jakarta City Citizens Forum (FAKTA) Azas Tigor Nainggolan also considers the policy of special lanes for road bikes to be too wild and discriminatory.

"This way of making extraordinary policies is also discriminatory and will damage the image of cyclists in general. As a result of the police's making and illegal policies by the Jakarta Provincial Government, the public will be angry with cyclists in general," explained Tigor.