Busway parking improved

Busway parking improved to up ridership
Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With an eye toward encouraging commuters to take the busway, the city administration plans to increase the space for parking vehicles in terminals.

Governor Sutiyoso on Monday officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of a 3,820-square-meter parking lot near Kalideres bus terminal, West Jakarta.

Sutiyoso said: "commuters will be able to arrive at their destinations on time, without worrying about their vehicles parked back at the terminal".

Sutiyoso was accompanied by Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo, who symbolically placed the first stone although construction work does not officially begin until November.

According to city transportation agency head Nurachman, who also attended the ceremony, the parking lot will be able to accommodate 122 cars, 36 motorcycles and 20 bicycles.
"We are also making sure the site will later be able to support vertical parking space so as to accommodate more vehicles," he said.

Apart from parking space, the administration has already established 12 business shelters comprising 10 food-and-drink stalls, one mini market and one cafe, as well as room for automatic teller machines, four pushcarts selling accessories and restrooms.

All of the business shelters stand on 1,200 square meters of land, right in the middle of the busway U-turn, and are operational.
"We are providing an alternative place for people to transit," said Nurachman.
Sutiyoso said: "It is time for us to change our paradigm. Our communal facilities must be kept orderly".
"Hopefully, foreign tourists, who will also enjoy the facilities we've provided, will be pleased."

Sutiyoso said the administration, through city-owned Bank DKI, would issue a smart card, the "Jakcard", which would function as a transaction card for the payment of parking fees and purchases in the terminal's business hub.

The administration is also planning to operate similar facilities in Ragunan bus terminal, South Jakarta, and Kampung Rambutan bus terminal, East Jakarta, by the end of this year, according to Nurachman.
"Ideally, we should have such facilities in Pulo Gadung bus terminal (East Jakarta) and in Blok M bus terminal (South Jakarta) but we don't have enough space," he said.
"The area size of the lot in Ragunan will be similar to the one in Kalideres, while the one in Kampung Rambutan will be twice as big as the one in Kalideres."