We have been bicycling together with the ambassadors and the bicycle communityJakarta (ANTARA) - Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan invited several ambassadors to ride a bike from Dukuh Atas to Lapangan Banteng in Central Jakarta to celebrate World Bicycle Day.
“We have been bicycling together with the ambassadors and the bicycle community,” Baswedan stated in Lapangan Banteng here on Friday.
Some ambassadors invited by Baswedan to participate in the event are British Ambassador Owen Jenkins, Indian Ambassador Manoj Kumar, and Turkish Ambassador Askin Asan. Representatives of the Russian and the South African embassies also participated in the event.
Apart from celebrating World Bicycle Day, the governor remarked that the event also aims to promote bicycle as an environment-friendly and healthy transportation mode.
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He then expressed optimism that more Jakartans would opt for bicycles as their preferred transportation mode to reduce air pollution in the city.
“We, in Jakarta, are experiencing the effects of global warming, and one of the main causes is the massive air pollution. Hence, we must address this environmental issue together by committing to act from the local level,” Baswedan remarked.
The provincial authority is committed to employing means of public transportation with environmentally friendly fuels, such as electricity, he affirmed, adding that 100 electric buses for TransJakarta are expected to be phased in during the course of this year to complement the present 30 electric buses.
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“God Willing, we will have 100 electric buses this year, and we hope all public transportation (in Jakarta) would be fueled only by electricity,” the governor stated.
Moreover, Baswedan expressed optimism that 500 kilometers of bicycle lanes would be developed in Jakarta in order to reduce carbon emissions and facilitate bikers in the city.
“It is expected that Jakarta will have 500 kilometers of bicycle lanes (in the future),” he stated.
The governor highlighted the provincial authority's target to develop 250 kilometers of new bicycle lanes this year after the COVID-19 pandemic had impeded the process in a bid to expedite progress in the development of 500 kilometers of bicycle lanes in accordance with the target.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut SW, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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