Traffic Jams and Kuta: Bali

I don't know whether it is just my thinking or is the traffic increasing along Jalan Legian of recent years. Understandably more vehicle sales mean more traffic on the roads and subsequently more air pollution.

The one period of the year I dislike and that is during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan and the subsequent Idul Fitri holiday that follows. It is a time when domestic tourists from all over Java, Sumatra and other islands come to Bali with their cars. Naturally this causes traffic jams galore along the main tourist drag. I have never understood why with such a great domestic air service in Indonesia there domestic tourists have to bring their cars. The air pollution is horrific.

But now it seems that there maybe plans under foot to control the air pollution situation, not only when domestic tourists come in their droves, but during the rest of the year according to Bali Discovery.

Speaking at a seminar on land transportation held in Sanur on Wednesday, June 28, the Director General of Land Transportation Iskandar Abubakar warned that Bali's higher than average level of private vehicle ownership portends for traffic jams and added air pollution in the near future.

Citing the rapid increase in private vehicle ownership in Bali the transportation expert said that there are presently 4 vehicles for every 5 people living Bali, a ratio far above the average in the Nation's capital of Jakarta where there is only one vehicle for every 5 residents.

Not only does Bali have a higher average ratio of vehicles in operation as compared to total residents but significantly 80% of the vehicles in operation in Bali are registered to private owners. By comparison private ownership in Jakarta constitutes only 40% of all vehicles on the road. According to Abubakar the variation in private ownership of vehicles in Bali is due to the very low use of public transport in Bali where only 5% of the population is estimated to travel on public transport.

Emission Testing of Vehicles to be Widened

Abubakar predicted that the recently introduced program of emission testing on public transport will be widened by 2007 to also include mandatory emission testing on all vehicles.