Policy on the Use of Batik Solo Trans Urban Public Transport with the “Stick and Carrot” Strategy in Surakarta City

The uncontrolled use of private motorized vehicles causes traffic congestions, which have an impact on high levels of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change [1–3]. Surakarta City Government is developing a green infrastructure for urban public transport that is oriented toward efficient use of road space and low-carbon mobility, namely Batik Solo Trans (BST), to minimize these problems. The 12 corridors of BST urban public transport services have not been optimally utilized by the community. For this reason, a “stick and carrot” strategy is needed to increase BST urban public transport users. The research aims to identify the potential demand for BST urban public transport users in Surakarta city hall in the existing and scenario conditions for the implementation of parking management as one of the “stick and carrot” strategies. An interview survey of 189 employees and 200 visitors to the Surakarta city hall was conducted to get an overview of the modal shift from private vehicles to BST urban public transport with scenarios of implementing parking management and the underlying reasons. The results showed that the existing BST urban public transport users were 14% and 18% for city hall employees and visitors, respectively, of total respondents. The potential demand for BST urban public transport users will increase by 53% and 54% for city hall employees and visitors, respectively, if BST urban public transport services are improved, such as increasing service area coverage, service information, service timeliness. The city government's policy to implement paid vehicle parking within the city hall area will make city hall employees and visitors switch from using private motorized vehicles to BST urban public transport by 22% and 32%, respectively. If the city hall area is free from vehicle parking, then city hall employees and visitors will switch from using private motorized vehicles to BST urban public transport by 26% each. These phenomena show that improving BST urban public transport services and implementing parking management will increase BST urban public transport users.