KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is in talks with Singapore to increase the number of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) Tebrau Shuttle service from the current 31 to 36 trips per day next year.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the move was among the initiatives taken to reduce congestion at the Causeway which is the main artery linking both nations.
“We are still in talks with Singapore and are hopeful that by next year we could have an additional five trips per day to make it 36 in total.
“Furthermore, the additional five trips that was approved recently from the previous 26 to 31 trips and was due to the discussions between our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after handing over Chinese New Year goodies to Electric Train Service (ETS) passengers in KL Sentral today.
The Singapore government recently agreed to increase the frequency of Tebrau Shuttle to 31 trips a day.
Liow said the extra five trips, will allow KTMB to transport 1,500 additional passengers crossing the Johor Causeway from JB Sentral station in Johor Bahru and the Woodlands station in the republic.
Currently, 7,783 passengers utilise the Tebrau Shuttle service per day.
Meanwhile, Liow said over 80 per cent of 170,000 ETS seats from KL Sentral to Padang Besar offered by KTMB from Feb 10 to 23, have been snapped up for Chinese New Year.
“I am glad that many people are taking public transport to go back to their hometowns for Chinese New Year.
“This will help to reduce congestion on the road,” he said.