Thursday 3 December 2015

PENANG NEEDS LRT

Source: Kwong Wah Yit Poh - 4 Dec 2015

Insufficient first-to-last mile connectivity, lack of infrastructure, narrow roads, and bus services with low frequency routes are among the main public transportation challenges Penangites face today.

To make things worse, the increasing number of Penangites who rely on their own private vehicles to get around the island is causing some of the worst traffic congestion the island has seen in decades.

Research findings on the transport situation by the Penang Institute shows an alarming rise in the state’s vehicle-to-population ratio: it increased from 1.17 in 2008 to 1.39 last year. This is based on a population of 1.6 million, a number that is estimated will grow on a compounded 3.04% until 2020.

With this scenario, traffic will be gridlocked on both the island and the mainland – already, existing roads cannot sustain current vehicular levels what more when the population grows. Penangites’ over-reliance on private transportation is one of the major stumbling blocks in solving the current predicament.

High-capacity, high-frequency rail transit

In the “Penang Transport Master Plan Strategy Report (PTMP)”, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng writes in the foreword that though the island becoming a thriving international city, its development is not without challenges. Apart from addressing the long-standing issue of traffic congestion that continues to hinder the state’s potential growth, the city is also working towards being sustainable and, most importantly, livable.

In the Chief Minister’s own words, the State needs to urgently address its transport issues in a holistic manner to not only meet the future needs of residents and businesses but also to support its economic
and social objectives. Transport expert Goh Bok Yen – who is director of MAG Technical and Development Consultant – says a rail-based urban transit system is the most effective mode of public transport and should form the backbone of the State’s envisioned PTMP and, in all likelihood, that should be a light rail transit (LRT) system.


Major (Rtd) Mohd Shukri Abdul Rahman, chief operating officer of Rapid Penang says that workers
depend on affordable transportation. “It is important to have an urban rapid transit system that is user-friendly and that supports occupancy (ridership) rate. Each mode of transport has its strengths and constraints, hence the logical and right approach is to gauge the weaknesses of the system and synergise it with transport elements that will allow these modes of transport to play an optimum role.

“There must be a balance in land use and population growth. Highway improvements may hinder
private vehicle reduction. However, there has to be a compromise to achieve the desired outcome.” When asked what features make a city livable, Goh answers that basic transport elements which create a liveable city are mobility, safety, comfort, affordability, and the existence of a good community without compromising Penang’s cultural identity and lifestyle.

Stuart Macdonald, Fellow at the Penang Institute and Head of Urban Studies, echoes this sentiment when he says his preference is for high-capacity and high-efficiency modes of transport that will best serve the needs of Penang.


Switching to public transport

Currently, public transport stands at 11% of the modes of transport share during morning peak hours (7am-9am), which represents the smallest cut of the modal share. Shedding light on the factors that will encourage Penangites to shift their driving behaviours, Macdonald highlighted the “3Cs” criteria and forward-thinking planning that have to be taken into account when designing transport facilities.
“The ‘3Cs’ stand for Cost, Convenience, and Comfort. The improved public transport system has to cost less than operating your own vehicle, and convenient to use in terms of distance from origin and destination.

Commuters must also feel comfortable along the journey in all kinds of weather. “The planning process needs to be integrated and holistic. The State Government needs to ensure that the potential users of public transport have the best chance to access it,” he explains. The proposed PTMP, which is centred on the premise of “Moving people, not just vehicles”, posits that an integrated, seamless, and multimodal public transport system is essential to the city’s well-being.

A convenient and sustainable public transport network that offers a broad range of facilities – such as
reliable connections to other modes of transport and a safe environment for pedestrians – will help people view public transport as the new preferred mode of travel. According to a recent news report, the first component of the master plan, an LRT from Bayan Lepas to George Town, is expected to take off in 2017, once all approvals are in place.

Macdonald: 'High-capacity and high-efficiency modes of transport will best serve needs.


Serving low-income groups

With the acute rise in cost of living, it has become critical that the needs of the low-income strata, including Penang’s sizeable population of factory workers be taken into consideration. With this as the guiding principle, the highly anticipated LRT should serve dense, lower-income residential and industrial locales like Jelutong, Bukit Dumbar, Bukit Jambul, Bayan Lepas, Kampung Sungai Tiram and Permatang Damar Laut.

Major (Rtd) Mohd Shukri Abdul Rahman, chief operating officer of Rapid Penang, says that public
transport in Penang is important since there are many international manufacturing firms whose workers depend on affordable transportation. High density areas are another aspect of public transport Rapid is looking into in an effort to ease traffic woes.

Sharing the challenges faced by the biggest bus service operator in Penang, he adds that there are still issues that need to be addressed, as Penang is highly congested and there are currently no dedicated
bus lanes. This makes it difficult to operate buses no matter how new they are.

Currently, there are 400 buses on the island and the mainland, serving eight corridors that cover 51
routes including shuttle services, inter-corridor links throughout the State, as well as intercity routes
that extend as far as Sungai Petani and Parit Buntar in Kedah and Perak, respectively. Touching on Rapid Penang’s future role with the imminent rollout of the transport master plan, Mohd Shukri says he looks forward to providing structured and integrated services and fares for a seamless connectivity.

Very soon, with the commencement of the PTMP, Penangites will be able to enjoy a public transport
network that offers an alternative way to reach various destinations in a much shorter time and at a lesser cost.

Comparatively, Singapore conceptualised the idea of a rail system as early as 1967, two years after the city-state attained its independence. Thanks to its early planning, Singapore is today an economic powerhouse and a talent magnet that offers everything from innovative infrastructure and high income opportunities to sprawling green spaces.

In this respect, it is renowned as the model city that represents the epitome of urban living, emulated by many other developing nations. For example, Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan 2013 stated that by 2030, 8 out of 10 homes in the republic will be located within a 10-minute walk from a station.

Is it not high time for Penang to embrace better connectivity for the good of its people and industries? As they say, it’s better late than never.

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