KUALA LUMPUR: The National Transport Policy will look into measures to boost rail cargo services in the country, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this was among the key areas in the policy, aimed at optimising the services and reducing the number of container lorries on the roads, creating a safer environment for motorists.
“In the framework of the National Transportation Policy, which will be launched by prime minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mahathir) tomorrow, we encourage more cargo transportation services to be used because they are safer and more reliable, while reducing the number of container lorries on our roads.
“We have to also look at how the cargo services could be optimised,” he said adding the 2020 Budget stated that the government would be undertaking a feasibility study on a rail bypass project between Serendah and Port Klang.
“With this alignment, it would accommodate cargo transportation between the northern areas and Port Klang without going through central station in Kuala Lumpur, thus making the service more efficient and attractive to companies,” he said in reply to a question by Teh Kok Lim (PH-DAP-Taiping).
Earlier, Loke said there were currently two cargo services available in the country, which were provided by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB), for containerised cargo and bulk cargo.
“They are operating throughout KTMB’s networks to the main ports like the Klang Port, Penang Port, Pasir Gudang and Padang Besar Containers’ Terminal.
“For the year 2019 (until August), an average of 28 train runs with a cargo load of 0.5 million tonne were transported daily, mostly comprised of commodities, landbridges, cement and sugar.
“The ministry is aware that the rail service is the most economical mode of land transportation based on its capacity to transport heavy materials and commodities in bulk,” he said.
Loke said several initiatives were being implemented to improve both KTMB’s passenger and freight services.
They include the RM10.5 billion electric double-track project between Gemas and Johor Baru, RM8.3 billion rail lines repair and upgrade works for routes namely Gemas-Tumpat, Klang Valley, Kempas Baru-Pasir Gudang and North Klang Port branch, as well as the RM186.6 million work to enhance the rolling stock capacity on existing locomotives.
In order to improve on its services, Loke said KTMB planned to have a more competitive fares for its passenger service, enhance its efficiency by transporting 40 to 50 cargo cars for each trip in a fixed schedule and introduce freight online system.
He said plans were also afoot to expand cargo services in the east coast through the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), expected to be completed in 2027.