Jakarta. The Jakarta Provincial Government aims to finalize regulations limiting private vehicle usage and vehicle age in the city by year-end.

Zulkifli, Head of the Electronic Road Pricing Management Unit at Jakarta's Transportation Agency, outlined plans for a new Regional Regulation during a public discussion on Friday. The regulation is slated to be proposed next year to the Jakarta Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD).

"The goal is to encourage public transport use and tackle the adverse effects of private vehicles," Zulkifli said. 

Measures under consideration include Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), establishment of Low Emission Zones (LEZ), parking management reforms, and restrictions on vehicle age and quantity.

Highlighting the urgency, Zulkifli pointed to staggering annual losses of Rp100 trillion due to traffic congestion. These losses encompass excessive fuel consumption, time wasted in traffic, air pollution-related health impacts, and diminished quality of life, according to a 2018 study by Jakarta Urban Transport Phase 2 and the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Yayat Supriatna, an urban planning expert from Trisakti University, noted challenges in integrating transportation across Jakarta and its satellite cities in Greater Jakarta. Despite efforts by the Jakarta Metropolitan Transportation Management Agency (BPTJ) to implement programs like JR Connexion and service subsidies, Yayat emphasized the need for a unified authority with broader regulatory powers.

The initiatives come amid ongoing efforts to streamline transportation systems across administrative boundaries in the Jakarta metropolitan area.

Jakarta is now one of the world's top 10 most congested cities, according to INRIX's 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard. Topping the list are New York City, Mexico City, and London.

Drivers in Jakarta lost 65 hours to traffic in 2023, a 33 percent increase from 2022. Downtown traffic speeds averaged 13 mph (21 km/h).