Jakarta – The Jakarta Transportation Agency has clarified that the removal of bicycle lane dividers is not part of a plan to remove the lanes permanently.
In response to the recent viral video showing its officers removing traffic dividers from bicycle lanes, the agency said the city administration did not intend to eliminate existing bicycle lanes in the capital.
On Tuesday, Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said the agency was only replacing the dividers used to keep motorized vehicles and bicycles apart, rather than permanently removing them.
The agency will replace these dividers with cat's eyes to enhance safety for road users while retaining the bicycle lanes. The process will occur in stages.
"Yes, that's right. We are adjusting [the dividers] on 13 road sections because many of them are damaged and could be dangerous," said Syafrin Liputo
According to the Jakarta Transportation Agency, public complaints about the damaged dividers were submitted through the Rapid Community Response (CRM) system.
"The survey results of the agency's traffic division field officers show that many dividers have been damaged by motor vehicles," said Syafrin.
"The removal of damaged dividers is a step to ensure the safety of cyclists and other road users on the road so that traffic accidents do not occur."
Previously, the Bike to Work (B2W) Indonesia community expressed disappointment with the Jakarta administration's decision to remove bicycle lane dividers in several parts of the capital.
Fahmi Saimima, chairman of B2W Indonesia, said the move reflected a lack of commitment to supporting cyclists by acting Jakarta governor Heru Budi Hartono. This removal has also led some to believe Jakarta is regressing rather than progressing in accommodating cyclists.