By DERRICK VINESH, The Star
Monday July 7, 2008
NIBONG TEBAL: The state government can undertake its own monorail project with a comprehensive and workable business plan, said a transport researcher.
But Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Civil Engineering dean Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said the state must first carry out a viability study on the popularity and demand for such a transport system.
“It is not impossible for the state to embark on its own privatised monorail project. But, lots of effort are needed to first create a public transport culture among Penangites,??? he said.
Dr Ahmad Farhan was commenting on the Federal Government’s recent decision to withdraw the RM2bil monorail and RM1.5bil Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) projects from the 9th Malaysia Plan.
He said there was also a need to estimate how much the Penangites would pay for the monorail services before switching to other modes of transport.
He said the state’s present public transport system was far from optimal, suggesting that there was much room for improvement.
“We must also look at increasing public transport patronage and whether the public transport system can sustain itself without outside help,??? he said.
Dr Ahmad Farhan said public buses and taxis must also play their role to help nurture a public transport dependant society, noting that park-and-ride facilities were badly needed to help reduce the number of private vehicles on Penang’s roads.
“The completion of the Penang Bridge widening work and the Second Penang Bridge project is bound to cause a major traffic surge on both the island and mainland. It will be wise to introduce some form of traffic management or restraint by optimising the use of shuttle buses,??? he said.
Dr Ahmad Farhan said a simple study carried out by his students early this year showed that bus commuters were generally happy with Rapid Penang’s services.
This showed that with an efficient bus service, patronage could be increased, which could be the seed of the desired public transport culture, he added.