Jakarta to trial car-free night at end of June

The Star

2 days ago

People exercising in the rain on Feb 9, 2025, during a car-free day at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. - Antara
JAKARTA: The Jakarta administration will trial a Car Free Night (CFN) in conjunction with the city's 498th anniversary. The trial will be held after the celebrations end at the end of June.
The trial will take place in the Jl. Sudirman-Jl. Thamrin thoroughfare, where the current Car Free Day (CFD) events take places.
Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno said that the planned CFN is the city's response to the public's preference to get physical activity in the evening.
It is also expected that the CFN will reduce carbon emissions and create an environmentally friendly public space.
'We will try out the Car Free Night from 10pm, as there are also many people exercising in the evening,' Rano said when attending a CFD activity on Sunday, as quoted by the Antara news agency.
'The location is the same [on Jl. Sudirman-Jl. Thamrin].'
The CFN is scheduled to take place on Saturday evening while the CFD is currently held every Sunday morning. This is meant to take advantage of the weekend when many Jakartans go out to play sports, relax or enjoy the city.
'If the CFD is focused on health, now we add with CFN with a focus on happiness,' Rano said.
As part of the launch of the CFN, the Jakarta administration will also hold Betawi arts and cultural performances at three locations: Bung Karno Sports Complex, Dukuh Atas and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.
'We start the activity here [in Dukuh Atas]. Next month we will add more locations in Bung Karno Sports Complex and around the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle,' Rano said.
The arts shows will start on June 29 with a target of 5,000 participants performing various Betawi arts and cultural performances, such as pencak silat, traditional dances, songs and food.
'Arts and cultural performances here will not only improve health but also make citizens happy,' Rano said.
Other than the CFN trial, the Jakarta administration is also looking to expand the CFD to all five townships in Jakarta as part of its commitment to making Jakarta a green, healthy and happy global city.
Rano said that the CFD had been proven to reduce carbon emissions. 'Carbon emissions are reduced but it was only for a day,' he said. 'Ideally, we can make it two days, Saturdays and Sundays. But Saturdays are for economic [activities].'
'There is a plan to hold it in five locations, we are still looking for them.' One of the areas targeted by the city administration is North Jakarta for its high carbon emissions.
'Especially North Jakarta because there are factories [there] so the emissions and pollutions there are very high,' Rano said.
'This means that we have to find a place to reduce carbon emissions.' Jakarta was the pioneer for the CFD, with initial efforts conducted to commemorate the World CFD on Sept. 22, 2002, by closing down Jl. MH Thamrin from 6am, to 6pm. The initiative was created by a coalition of environmental NGOs.
Initially, the CFD was held on the last week of the month in Jakarta from 6am to 2pm. But because of complaints from the public, it was shortened by two hours starting on April 26, 2009.
In 2011, the CFD was held twice a month and starting on May 13, 2012, it was held every week from 6am to 11am.
Other cities have instituted their own CFD arrangements, ranging in frequency from once a month, such as in Tangerang and Bandung, to once a week in Bekasi and Depok. - The Jakarta Post/ANN