by Raveen Jeyakumar
Some years ago, a consortium of companies proposed to create three artificial islands off the southern coast of Penang Island to finance their expensive proposal for transport infrastructure, which it dubbed the “Penang Transport Master Plan”.
This plan is in tatters now as the reclamation was first slowed down and now apparently scaled down to just one island. The state government realises that the reduced size of the reclamation will not raise enough funds to finance the proposed RM10bn elevated rail project (“Light Rail Transit”), let alone the entire RM46bn “PTMP”.
So the state turned to the federal government for help to finance the overhead rail. It remains convinced that this single-line project will ease traffic congestion for the whole of Penang Island.
But this expensive single-line project cannot solve Penang’s traffic woes. Instead, the federal and state governments should expand and improve the public bus service to ease congestion across the state – at a fraction of the RM10bn cost for the overhead rail line.
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Even if the reclamation is scaled down to create just one island, as recently announced, the dumping of millions of tonnes of rock and sand will destroy fish spawning waters and degrade the ecosystem, according to Sahabat Alam Malaysia.
Massive amounts of sand will also have to be extracted from Penang or Perak waters, causing even more damage. Not only will this hit the fisherfolk near the immediate sites, those along Penang, Kedah and Perak waters will find their catch reduced because of the degradation of the marine habitat and shrimp migration.
The latest price tag for the scaled-down reclamation, together with infrastructure development, is RM8.5bn.
Meanwhile, the prime minister has announced that the federal government will provide funds for the “LRT” project.
But this massive spending on a single-route overhead rail line to ease traffic congestion is not at all cost-effective.
Why not consider a much cheaper and quicker alternative solution – improving the public bus service?
If the federal government improves the public bus service, it need not have to spend so much on expensive infrastructure projects. The money saved could be used for socioeconomic programmes for the people and for subsidies for essential services targeted at lower-income households.
Instead of implementing an expensive elevated rail line to tackle traffic congestion, the government could expand the bus service and increase its frequency throughout Penang (including the mainland) to make the service more efficient and comprehensive.
The improved service will encourage more people to use public buses as their primary mode of transport instead of their private vehicles.
Simultaneously, the local authorities could raise the parking fees in the city, while the federal government could impose higher import taxes on foreign cars.
These actions will nudge more people towards public buses instead of having to stump out sizeable sums to buy and maintain their own cars. The number of cars choking the roads of Penang will fall, thus easing congestion.
Planners should also propose solutions for first and last-mile connectivity, making it easier for users to get from their homes or workplaces to the nearest bus stop and from their last bus stop to their final destination.
Clearly, many civil society groups and sizeable segments of affected communities oppose these mega-projects. The NGOs have put out several articles providing solid reasons for scrapping these projects.
If those backing these corporate-inspired mega-projects are adamant about pushing them through, public support for both the state and federal governments could fall.
So scrap the reclamation project, along with the overhead rail line, and instead improve the public bus service to ease congestion in Penang.
Raveen Jeyakumar, a 29-year-old in Ipoh with an interest in environmental issues, is an Aliran volunteer
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Don’t worry about the longer queues for the private vehicles. Important is making busses a more reliable n cheaper way to get around.
Priorities hv to be given to busses to make it reliable and efficient
Improving on bus frequencies and last first mile are also important issues that needs to be addressed.to make PT a better choice over private vehicles
It’s the single occupancy vehicles clogging our roads not the cars.
A bus can carry 70 passengers.
Yang bising, orang luar. (always)
Yang dapat, orang kita.
We can enjoy the environment, after we get a healthier life and time in our life (away from the jams)
I’m tired of outsiders telling penang person what we need and want.
Go do something for idling and aging Ipoh.
I have noticed regular public buses services either way (to n fro) is often empty or foreigners passengers. Even in peak or non peak hour. At non peak hours, mostly is empty. Did anyone who agrees with the introduction of more bus services seen or does any survey. ?
Simple, get more buses during peak hours, and less buses during non peak. Isn’t the major congestion happening during peak hours? Also if that so, why do we need LRT for non peak hours? White elephants needed for more than 12-16 hours?
Nah, this aint it chief. More busses to avoid congestion? Says no Malaysian ever.
If you get rid of the traffic lights, you remove many of the jams even at the peak hours. Widen some section of the roads for u-turn. I see one example in Batu Kawan after the 2nd bridge. Another example in the making is the Tambun Lost World stretch of road undertaken by Sunway to remove all traffic lights. Soon will see ZERO jam at peak hours.
More bus????? Useless for me….. I never take bus in Penang….if there are LRT …I may sale my car and take the LRt with bus.
U don’t take bus?
No wonder our roads are congested
LRT build in front of your house ah? No bus how to reach your house from LRT station
Don’t anyone notice the number of riders in the bus in Penang routes. Most of the time only very few passengers. The worse part is double decker was introduced even during non peak hours . I wonder who in Rapid doing the management. Rapid need smaller buses to run during non peak hours to reduce operation expenses .Here they are declaring yearly bonus to them when they operate loses year after year. If Penang wants to improve and encourage public transport this 2 drastic implementations required to be carry out . Have a dedicated bus lane and increase parking fees to seriously discourage them driving cars.
Hi, I am born in Penang and probably will die on the Island too. Having more busses is going to add to more traffic congestion. Doesn’t make sense coz this fellows r all thinking of the costs. I say biuld a rail network no matter what the cost,. It will benefit the future generations. Have to think ahead. Also have noted the schools on the way are a major point of traffic congestion, steps must be taken to discuss with the schools to work this problem out.
Tx u
Adding more busses won’t solve the problems. It’s going to make the traffic situation even worse. Just build the railways
Bro, all the LRT stations are not built right in front of the schools. You still need feeder buses to reach from station to individual schools. When no bus to reach the schools, parents will still need to drive them with cars.
When Penang want to built something, for sure someone out there make noises… Please la.. Come and stay here in Penang for a month, and let’s feel the traffic everyday!!!
If more buses can be solved the problem, the problem won’t be here until now. Get the facts rite before ask finding alternative! Please expedite the LRT… as we need 1 so badly. If u want to make ur voice heart, go to Capital….
Please la bro. u were too young that time, you didn’t see how buses used to solve congestion in Penang way back.
Or you didn’t travel far enough to see how buses in Singapore solve the first and last mile connectivity for LRT. Singapore still need buses coz LRT don’t exist right in front of your house
Good to have monorail for quickiest sky transport…no traffic jammed.
To Penang state govt, please proceed and expedite LRT project same as well as the PSI. Majority Penangites fully support LRT and PSI.
Yeah, majority of the cybertrooper like you support or, they could be the contractors of concrete structure la.
We should also think of long term solutions rather than hasty proposals. More buses maybe good for a while. An overhead rail transit system is a good solution. We should support the efforts of the State Government. Thanks.
Instead of more buses try accessing more routes. The Air Itam route if not mistaken has 5 or more numbers running and mostly enters Padang Tembak. Just switch one or two through Lrg Batu Lanchang and Thean Tek Hgway to Farlim because the population density has increased along the Highway which is no more a Highway and in true fact a populated housing hub with 4 Seasons and many Apartments and Condos. Residents there have no access to town by bus.
The poor who cannot afford cars will cycle, walk or take the buses. Those who can afford will buy and drive cars. Don’t forget, cars are also a status symbol. Unless you really tax the hell out of car owners, like in Singapore, you are not going to see people riding buses. It is not a social status symbol, riding on buses. When you ask people to ride on buses, you are also creating more buses on the road. Comes to the same thing. Overhead LRT is the answer for the future.
Overhead LRT also eat up one lane, they are not built on sky. LRT don’t stop right in front of your house
Putting more buses on already congested roads is not likely going to help. With narrow roads, designated bus lanes are also not possible. Perhaps increasing car and road taxes, plus better urban planning that brings housing ares closer to offices or industrial areas in combination with localised public transport system might help.
Why do cities from New York to Tokyo use LRT or similar and not buses? Bus complements the LRT. Singapore is a good example for Penang to follow! Buses also take up road space. Presently Penang has traffic jams during long holidays and additional buses add to the problem. With proper planning and no corruption, Penang will be an exemplary state for overall planning which should include its aging population.
Penang is much smaller in area and population. Dedicated bus lanes are the answer to the “taking up road space” issue.
As a former résident of Penang and a user of public transport, I can say the fréquence of buses needs improvement, not one every half hour but one every 15 minutes at least. Further on time. For this there should be the installation of signage telling you when the next bus will arrive. Signage powered by Solar energy. There should be more routes as well. All thèse means more buses. This is supposed to get off their cars onto the buses.
Higher parking fees will not be enough. There should be the narrowing of roads which of course will create jam but this is another to discourage car driving. I live now in a European City where the centre is car-free and narrow roads. The biggest problem is rather that having a car is status symbol.
As if all the bus full demand and bus full is the reason for people use car…
Are you expecting those buses to fly so that it will not adding more congestion to the existing roads?
Good points about the effectiveness of buses,
1) run on street levels, easy access, can have more bus stops closer to your house
2) flexibility in routes and schedules
3) one bus can carry 60pax, moving people not cars
4) fast to implement
5) provide skill jobs for drivers and mechanics
6) cost effective , rm1 billion can charter 274 free buses for 10 years
Agree. To add to that: 7) buses can be introduced now, whereas the LRT would take almost a decade of road and infrastructure work to realise. 8) building the LRT involves a near decade of roadworks and lane closures and even when built, the narrowing of road space to support all the elevated sections. 9) the LRT route from KOMTAR to 1km from the airport will not in any way ease traffic congestion. 10) the LRT route poorly planned, the Klang Valley example demonstrate things that can go wrong, despite the affordavle frequent and well used trains. That last mile is a game changer. 11) the project has been demonstrated to be an expensive folly in its entirety from the start. Scaling down and breaking down folly into smaller component parts and getting these funded separately, will only result in multiple follies. 12) the reclamation project iwill create environmental disruption, at a minimum but more likely an eco-disaster. 13) The 71 conditions of the EIA are secret and suspect. Based on past experience, they may not be adhered to and even if punished, the business models… Read more »
Have you able hear the explaination by state goverment that this LRT project must be build as its much easier for the land taking as it just involve middle side of road compare to other method like BRT or tram( both need two side for two lane). Penang island does not have many spaces to enlarge the road to implement it. So how the more buses can solve this problem even the frequence of the buses reduce to 15 minutes and more route introduced. I had working in penang and the problem is not having less buses but the connectivity and the fastest route of the the public transport do no exist that make people do want to use it as the center of island is pack during peak and holidays. So the LRT is the good ways to encourage people as it had its lane and will connect to KTM butterworth via tram and ferry at Penang Sentral thus make it easier for people that living outside island especially from Sungai Petani.