Jakarta increases electric buses to reduce air pollution

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The Jakarta provincial government is gradually increasing the number of electric buses to reduce air pollution and continue to encourage the public to use mass transportation to reduce traffic congestion.

“The plan to replace conventional buses with electric buses will be carried out to minimize air pollution,” Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono noted in a statement received here on Thursday.

Currently, the city’s bus rapid transit TransJakarta has operated at least 52 electric buses in order to support the government’s efforts to reduce air pollution.

The provincial government also continues to deal with traffic congestion, such as readjusting traffic light cycle times to reduce queue length and delay times, managing road parking, and prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle users.

Hartono said his side continues to coordinate with the central government and related stakeholders to integrate public transportation modes in Jakarta in order to encourage people to switch to public transportation.

The provincial government provides subsidies worth Rp4.3 trillion (US$273 million) per year for public transportation.

In detail, Rp3.5 trillion of the subsidies had been allocated for TransJakarta and Rp800 billion for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).

Hartono stressed that convenience in using public transportation is a top priority in building an integrated transportation system. For this reason, the Jakarta provincial government, in synergy with the central government, provides subsidies for the mass transport sector.

The acting governor’s statement was made to respond to city legislator Justin Adrian, who put the spotlight on Jakarta’s traffic that is estimated to have caused losses of Rp65 trillion per year, or Rp178 billion per day.

“We support that 10 percent of the total 2024 regional budget (APBD) must be allocated for integrating public transportation programs, which cover MRT, LRT, TransJakarta, and Jaklingko, to reduce congestion and pollution,” he stated.