Implementing congestion charge in Jakarta, Indonesia

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is one of the popular approaches in sustainable transport policy. TDM consist of strategies to change travel behaviour through demand-based approach in order to achieve efficient transport resources, improved environmental condition, as well as to generate revenue. One of the incentives in TDM strategies to use alternative modes and reduce driving is road pricing. Congestion charge is one of the categories in the road pricing mechanism. Congestion charge is introduced in several cities around the world such as Singapore, London and Stockholm, most of which are located in developed countries. As the centre of politics, economy, trade and social activities of Indonesia, Jakarta becomes denser every year. The vast number of population in Jakarta is not only influenced by natural population growth, but also because of the commuters from Jakarta's surrounding municipality. As a consequence, congestion is seen especially in the central area of Jakarta on the radial highways during rush hours in the morning and in the afternoon. TDM strategies were introduced in Jakarta as one of the approaches to reduce traffic congestion. They are road pricing (toll roads), the Bus Rapid Transit system, and the traffic restraint (three-in-one system). Although Jakarta has been implementing those strategies, the traffic condition in Jakarta has not shown significant improvement. Congestion charge, as one of TDM strategies, has been considered to be one of the problem-solvers for Jakarta's traffic crisis. This system is planned to replace the `three-in-one' system. Therefore, there is a need to assess the possibilities of implementing congestion charge in Jakarta. The research aims to assess the possibilities of implementing congestion charge, as a road pricing mechanism of TDM, in Jakarta. The approach of this research is developed through the review of relevant literature by looking the ways of congestion charge application in theory and practice as a road pricing mechanism of TDM. It assesses the current policy on transportation framework that fits in with congestion charge in Jakarta; the opportunities and challenges of implementing it; and the necessary measures needed to implement congestion charge in Jakarta. The research is a qualitative and quantitative type. This research combines descriptive and exploratory methods, using in-depth interviews, questionnaires and field observation as research instruments. The research finds that there are opportunities and challenges of implementing congestion charge in Jakarta. The opportunities and challenges are classified into five aspects which is derived from the literature review. They are: (i) institutional capacity (including legal framework, technology and enforcement), (ii) political support, (iii) public transportation system, (iv) road network system, and (v) public acceptability. The research looks into these opportunities and challenges in details. Then it gives necessary measures to implement congestion charge in Jakarta based on those aspects. From the research, it is found that congestion charge is possible to be implemented in Jakarta as a road pricing mechanism of TDM as long as measures on implementation as mentioned in research question four is fulfilled. However, looking at the target of implementation that has been defined by the government which is at the end of 2012, many are pessimistic about this target.