Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities

The document examines the challenges of expanding active mobility in Indonesia, highlighting how fragmented infrastructure, safety risks, and weak enforcement hinder the transition from motor vehicles to walking and cycling. Using Medan as a case study, it identifies specific gaps in accessibility for people with disabilities and suggests a multi-faceted approach involving infrastructure upgrades, financial incentives, and public awareness campaigns to reduce urban congestion and air pollution.

• Indonesia's rapid urban growth has led to a significant increase in motor vehicle ownership, with motorcycle use increasing tenfold and car use sixfold between 1995 and 2014, contributing to severe air pollution, traffic congestion, and health issues.
• Urban transport in Indonesia is characterized by fragmented pedestrian and cycling networks, a lack of adequate crossing facilities, and significant accessibility barriers for individuals with disabilities.
• A case study of Medan reveals that active mobility is hindered by obstructed pavements (such as at Lapangan Merdeka), a lack of safe crosswalks, and the encroachment of motor vehicles into cycling lanes.
• Efforts to advance non-motorized transport in Medan are limited by inefficient use of funds, weak enforcement of existing regulations, and a disconnect between urban planning and execution.
• To achieve its national vision, Indonesia is advised to implement a coordinated strategy including the creation of 'green zones' for walking and cycling, the introduction of financial incentives like tax breaks, and the use of penalties to stop illegal parking and lane encroachment.

APA

Busch, J., O'Reilly, K., & Haq, G. (2025). Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/active-mobility-in-indonesia.pdf

Chicago

Busch, Jana, Kate O'Reilly, and Gary Haq. Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/active-mobility-in-indonesia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Busch |first1=Jana |last2=O'Reilly |first2=Kate |last3=Haq |first3=Gary |title=Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=July 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/active-mobility-in-indonesia.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{busch2025achieving, author = {Busch, Jana and O'Reilly, Kate and Haq, Gary}, title = {{Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/active-mobility-in-indonesia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }