KUALA LUMPUR: RESIDENTS in the Klang Valley, in particular the Greater Kuala Lumpur area, will experience better public transport connectivity within the next five years.
This is because efforts are being focused on boosting rail as the backbone of public transport.
Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah said supporting rail expansion was part of the efforts to boost first- and last-mile connectivity via the Bus Network Revamp and the Bus Rapid Transit, which were expected to transform bus travel in Kuala Lumpur and around the Klang Valley.
“The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line Extension Project launched in June this year, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line 1 project, which will see the first phase being launched in December, in addition to the future MRT 2, MRT 3 and LRT 3 projects will extend city connectivity to millions of people residing in Sungai Buloh, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Ampang, Serdang, Putrajaya and Klang.
“SPAD also announced the Taxi Industry Transformation Programme recently, aimed at uplifting taxi services and keeping up with the latest technological developments to meet customer’s expectations,” he told the New Straits Times.
The integration of all the public transport modes, said Azharuddin, would be key to realising SPAD’s and the government’s vision of a reliable, accessible, affordable and safe public transport system.
“In this regard, the establishment of more integrated terminals, park and ride facilities, and the Journey Planner mobile application are instrumental in providing a public transport environment that attracts users,” he said.
Azharuddin said outside the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley area, SPAD would continue to deliver transformation through programmes, such as the Interim Stage Bus Support Fund (ISBSF), an interim measure to cover shortfalls affecting stage bus operators’ daily operations, and the Stage Bus Transformation Programme (SBST).
He said the introduction of the Electric Train Service running on the upgraded tracks from Gemas to Padang Besar had created a new chapter for KTM intercity services.
“In addition to the Kuala Lumpur–Ipoh route that was launched in 2010, KTM began plying the Gemas-Padang Besar, Gemas-Butterworth and Butterworth-Padang Besar routes on Oct 10 last year.
“The Gemas-Johor Baru Electrified Double-Tracking Project, which was expected to commence at the end of this year, will complete the electrified double-tracks for the west coast of Malaysia,” he said.
The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project and East Coast Rail Link, said Azharuddin, were future projects that would boost rail connectivity in Peninsular Malaysia and bring significant
multiplier benefits to towns along the lines.
“Another cross-border rail project is the Rapid Transit System (RTS), a 4km-long shuttle system connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru and Woodlands in Singapore, which will be integrated with public transport systems on both sides of the border,” said Azharuddin.
“This project is expected to alleviate congestion and facilitate more travel options as people move between Johor Baru and Singapore.”
He said SPAD would launch a book on Monday, which captures the key achievements in land public transport between 2010 and last year.
“Titled Touching Lives, Connecting Communities, the book is a testament to the government’s commitment to improving land public transport as part of efforts to improve livability standards and quality of life,” he said. “The book recaps the vision behind land public transport transformation, highlights improvements in the industry, provides an indication as to where we stand and sets the programme for what lies ahead for the industry.”