Transportation system should be improved: VP

Jakarta-wapresri.go.id In the handover ceremony of Land Transport Excellence Awards 2016, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said there are still many things that should be improved in the transportation system in Indonesia.

“The quality of a transportation system depends on two things, namely smooth roads and road safety. Currently, the travel speed in kilometres per hour scale tends to decrease, especially in the city, while the accident rate increases,” said the Vice President in the event held on Tuesday (Jan. 31) at the Vice Presidential Palace on Jalan Merdeka Selatan, Jakarta.

The Vice President further explained, there are eight important factors affecting the transportation system, namely population, number of vehicles, economic growth, mass transit, investment, traffic management, public discipline, and the discipline of traffic officers.

He then urged local authorities to continue to improve the quality of public transport in their regions to cope with the increasing number of people which is followed with the increasing number of vehicles.

“If the number of population and vehicles increases but the number or length of the road does not, there will surely occur long traffic jams. Road quality should also be improved. Bad roads with many holes will certainly slow down (the speed) and will definitely cause an accident,” he argued.

The Vice President also insisted on the use of large-capacity public transportation, such as buses, monorails and trains, rather than small-size public transport as it is deemed will only add to congestion.

According to the Vice President, private sectors should take part in the efforts to realize a good transportation system so that transport fares will be more affordable for the public.

“Investment in infrastructure is an unending investment,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, the Vice President underscored the importance of public discipline in road and the discipline of traffic officers in making traffic in order.

After delivering his speech, the Vice President handed over Wahana Tata Nugraha Wiratama awards to 11 provinces, namely East Java, South Sumatra, Riau, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, West Sumatra, Bali, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and South Sulawesi Province, and Wahana Tata Nugraha Kencana awards to the city Surakarta and the city of Denpasar.

Earlier, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said that this award is given annually by his ministry since 1992 to motivate all parties to improve the urban transport system.

The land transport excellence awards which are also named Wahana Tata Nugraha awards have different categories for local administrations (provinces and districts/cities) and public transport companies.

Also present at the event were Army Chief of Staff Gen. TNI Mulyono, governors, regents/ mayors, Regional Police Chiefs, and directors of state-owned enterprises and private companies in the land transportation sector.

http://www.wapresri.go.id/sistem-transportasi-harus-diperbaiki/