public transportation at the state level regulation and coordination by moaz yusuf ahmad
TRANSCRIPT
Public Transportation at the State Level
Regulation and Coordination
By
Moaz Yusuf Ahmad
Challenges faced in Selangor
Emphasis on car travel (often single-occupancy) in Malaysia (status symbol)
Limited investment in public transit/transport Mainly suburban and exurban communities
with large population Communities usually surrounded by
expressways and divided by wide “express-roads”
Trip generators are often separated from each other discourages public transport
encourages car use
Challenges faced in Selangor
High traffic volume and incomplete roads (creates gridlock within existing road system)
Older, high density urban areas not designed for large volumes of automobile traffic Klang Petaling Jaya
Failure of existing infrastructure or costly maintenance (MRRII flyover, Klang bridges)
Cannot keep pace with development
What about a Public Transport solution?
Public Transport is often mentioned as a solution for existing challenges
However, it faces the following problems: Lack of strategic development planning makes
public transport tough to implement A project may be supported initially but interest
drops afterwards “Impian LRT” encourages the introduction of
costly elevated LRT/Monorail megaprojects over minor, community-centred projects
Improving our Quality of Life
Reduce traffic volume and bottlenecks Reduce congestion, delays, vehicle idling,
and air pollution Build safer communities focused on people Shift from single-occupancy vehicle travel to
multiple-occupancy (carpooling) Develop faster, more reliable public transit Encourage greater use of public transit
The Role of the Government
Poor oversight and organization have created a crisis in public transportation (e.g. Komuter)
The government must take the responsibility to regulate, organize, and coordinate public transport services within Selangor: Bipartisan Assembly Committee for the regulation
and oversight of public transportation Local Public Transport Authority (LPTA) for
strategic planning, implementation, enforcement
Public Transportation at the State Level
“Quick Wins” Part 1Improve Community Transport
Investing in Community-Based Transport Coordinate town shuttle services under LPTA Routes should have 2-way service with minimum
frequency of 15 minutes ‘Clockface’ service demonstrates reliability 2-way service means shorter trips
State government funding of capital costs approx. RM250k-300k per 12m bus
Operating costs paid by/through local councils Advertising + state subsidy will support operations
“Quick Wins” Part 2Improve Minibus service
Minibus service can enhance communities by improving accessibility and mobility
Hong Kong has two types of Minibus services Green Minibus
Government-controlled feeder bus service Uses fixed routes, regulated fares
Red ‘Maxicab’ Privately operated ‘point-to-point’ service Uses flexible routes, market fares
“Quick Wins” Part 3 Improve rapid transit
Direct express bus routes and feeder bus routes to link communities to KTM lines Encourages passenger demand to develop Greater cost recovery = lower subsidy
Build new station on Kelana Jaya LRT line at existing Lembah Subang Depot Guideway, tracks and station already in place Reduces pressure on Kelana Jaya station and
existing bus routes, roads Allows the use of bus routes to promote demand
Restricted bus Right-of-Way
Orange Line, Los Angeles, CA (USA)
TransJakarta, Jakarta (Indonesia)
Benefits of “Quick Wins”
Immediate need for public transportation improvements oil, petrol, food prices and cost of living rapidly increasing
Faster planning and construction period means that the results can be seen quickly
Building public transportation at the local level will create demand for public transportation
Greater mobility for more people
Conclusion
Traffic congestion is causing significant economic and social problems for communities in Selangor
Solutions must allow various options for residents Planning must include transit options, mixed-uses,
higher densities Transit-Oriented Developments Government must identify and implement several
“Quick Win” solutions to showcase ideas Localized, community-based solutions are a lower
cost way to build demand for public transport Future investment will have better cost recovery
Sources
National Physical Plan (Transportation) Selangor 2020 Structural Plan KL City, MPSJ Local Plans Government of Hong Kong (Transportation) RapidKL, Prasarana, KTM, Transjakarta Urban Rail, Railway Technology forums Skyscrapercity.com, usj.com.my, residents Archived photos including personal collection
