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Penang is a bustling state without adequate public transportation infrastructure. Despite being the second smallest state in Malaysia and lacking natural resources, Penang has been outpacing its weight by positioning itself as a robust industrial state, notably capturing 47% of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of this year. , amid the global lockdown due to Covid-19.
The pattern of post-pandemic mass mobility, with a promising vaccine due next year, will most likely return to pre-pandemic proportions. Soon, Penang’s roads will once again be packed with numerous users (workers, students, others) during rush hours.
The modal distribution of mobility among the 225,000 person-trips made during peak hours with a population of 1.56 million in a 2013 report was between 89% for private vehicles and 11% for shared transport services (including buses factory and school).
The predominant public transport at that time was buses. When the population increases above two million from the current 1.8 million, the projected person trips will be more than 300,000 while the level of modal split will be the same.
In simple terms, if Penang’s status quo is maintained with only buses to serve the public, the increasing use of roads will worsen traffic congestion.
That is why Penang needs a reliable, safe and efficient system, the Light Rail Transit (LRT), as the main backbone of our public transportation infrastructure.
The LRT is a rail system proven for safety and reliability. The system is so established that according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a leading authority with a team of transport specialists that has implemented sustainable public transport around the world, the global trend is to build and expand LRT instead. meters or bus systems.
While many cities had opted for the proven system, Penang Forum wanted to introduce a bus system known as Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) or “Tramless Tram”. Despite its bombastic name, ART is basically a bus.
In fact, for David Levinson, professor of transport engineering at the University of Sydney, the title “trackless tram” is a “silly phrase” because it is actually a bus. The original cost of this bus was priced up to RM10 billion to be deployed in Kuching, Sarawak.
A comparison study between LRT and ART, conducted by the ADB for Penang, recommended LRT as a proven technology to adopt. Penang deserves a time-tested public transportation infrastructure that will serve as our main trunk line rather than a multi-million dollar bus system.
Joshua Woo is a former councilor for the Seberang Perai City Council.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
