Localising Regional Transportation Infrastructure Planning

When we talked about transportation infrastructure, we will always say the discussion must be in broader view and macro scale simply because there are traffic from externality and the city cannot control the in and out of vehicles from within and also outside of the city. While there are traffic with origin and destination within the city, there are also traffic generated from the city and go out from the city as well as traffic come from elsewhere by passing the city with destination not within the city. Hence, strategic planning when it comes to transportation infrastructure provision is up most important. However, discussing the transportation planning without referring to local condition is also incomplete as although transportation infrastructure should serve the majority and for the good of national and regional context, the interest of local people should not be compromised without any serious consideration. For example, while the rail line is an important component of public transportation network that will lean modal split of travelling towards non private vehicles, the location of station , routing and beam column as well as the scheduling of construction work should have the input and feedback from the local community. This explained why while strategic planning is important in transport infrastructure provision, at time referral to local sentiments and localized issues is unavoidable. The discussion will be getting more complicated if few infrastructure projects with each other inter-linked and present bigger impact will have to be considered at the same time. This might encourage the possibility of power play and private negotiation in discarding projects that might bring in negative impacts to the particular community. It is definitely not an easy task in crystallizing local and individual project and upscale it to the strategic level.

Strategic Transportation Planning

While transportation infrastructure requires strategic planning, this applies to all spheres of city development. Strategic planning requires visionary planning and macro scale of understanding the issues and solutions before embarking into micro and localized problems and actions. This is critical especially so for the city as all components of city are inter-linked and performance of any one component will affect the others. For example, if a neighbourhood area is not served well with an efficient transportation system, then urban problems such as traffic congestion, incompatible land use, safety and health issue will be occurred. Similarly, for an organization without a strategic plan is tantamount to planning to the failure. How can an organization work well if no clear direction and shared vision are put on the table for all stakeholders to understand and uphold to?

Planning vs Implementation

On my way to Shah Alam via Federal Highway this morning to attend a function, I witnessed perhaps one of the longest and biggest car parking at the opposite direction. It was a big traffic congestion from PJ all the way down to the interchange of Shah Alam Stadium. I was made to understand that this is a common phenomenum on every working day. The volume of private vehicles patronising the roads is getting higher per day even though the car price is higher as well. Why are there less people taking public transport. Is that because of the insufficient of vehicles fleets or due to the problem of connectivity and accessibility? We have been debating the issue of traffic congestion decades ago and we have also suggesting public transport as the solution, but problem is remained even til now. My conclusion is the issue is not about failure of planning but rather the capacity of execution. Execution remains the bigger challenge and, sometime obstacle to the fruition of effective planning. Without execution done with planned schedule, a comprehensive and holistic planning is not going to work. Even though implementation is finally done, it will involve many changes and adaptation. For example, a ramp need to be built for a development but construction was deferred to later date due to financial problem might not be suitable anymore as solution to the traffic management as many motorists patronising the building would have developed other type of driving behaviour then. It is difficult to get them to change later, I presume. Hence, planning and implementation must go hand in hand or else the blame of failure in planning will always remain.

Ecomobility City

Ecomobility becomes an agenda for ICLEI. Many discussion and best practices around the World were shared. The first ecomobility city at Suwon, Korea will be further refined during the Ecomobility Festisval to be held on 1-30 September this year. Some presenters at the World Congress 2012 highlighted that connecting people from dot to dot should be an efficient way, ecological friendly and equitable. Some said it is a case of moving people without the fuel or less consumption on the non renewable energy. Some said why are we making so much fuss on walking afterall every trip is starting and ending with walking. Even we drive, we walk to our car and similarly to board a train need walking as well to the platform. Thereby, if the driving journey is less than 10 minutes, is that any difficulty of walking? Of course Malaysian including me will qoute hot weather and safety as excuse of not walking at all. Cycling on the other hand is promoted as an viable alternative transportation mode. Conpenhegen, Denmark for example took less than 15 years to inculcate the value of cycling in which 35% trips are cycling based with target of 50% by 2015. Cyclists are given top priority when it comes to traffic management and urban planning. Special lanes with cyclists to decide their own speed are built throughout the city. Connectivity is without disruption but rather vehicles are required to make way at the cross junction. It is all down to the political choice and commitment. It is interesting to note that car ownership rate in Copenhengen is high but ownership of bicycle is even higher. People using bicycle to work, shop and even for leisure. Cars are stored in the garade for weekend long distance outing. Contrast to this, China and Vietnam , the two nations with high cycling rate is threatened by the enroute of traffic vehicles. More and more highways and lanes are built. The question ponder here is this the price of development we so used to talk about? Number of vehicles is reflection of the developed status of a nation? Is it a symbol of prosperity and wealth creation? I believe this mind set is hard to change, but unavoidable need to be recorrected. We might need to learn from the experience of Denmark in CEPA (communication, education and public awareness) campaign of getting people to prioritise the cycling on normal routine with short distance and car trip for out station journey as a start. However, without sufficient infrastructure with connectivity, affordability, comfort and convenience as well as perceived safety in place, nothing will be forthcoming. Providing pedestrian street and cycling path above the ground is a place for humanity in making. Our cities are losing their humanity now. We witnessed the reduction of places for social integration. We do not bother to see vehicles be given priority when it comes to resource allocation for infrastructure development, perhaps because we are part of it. We forget that only minority of us owning cars but majority relies on other mode of transportations. Thereby, designing a ecomobility city is talking about restoring humanity and life to the city. Try to imagine a 24 feet 2 lanes 100 feet length street can accommodate approximately 14 cars compared to 100 bicycles or more. With same construction cost but higher turn over of people, will the businesses prefer cyclists over the drivers? I presume yes. It is also about fundamental right of the mass as walking and cycling is cheap and affordable. With the environmental degradation is real and the need for paradigm shift in planning our cities, do we bold enough to have ecomobility as top priority? I presume we have a choice, the political one.

Brazil - City Initiatives

While waiting to transfer to the Congonhas Airport of Sao Paolo, Brazil on 13 June, I took a casual morning walk along the streets within the vicinity of San Raphael Hotel. I saw some of the most talked about initiatives of sustainable city or liveability city or low carbon city or whatever we call on a city people prefer to live are in practice. I saw majority of the buses are operating without the exhaust pipe because buses are running on gas. I took picture about bus special dedicated lane at both site and the centre of road for passengers on board from both directions. The bus platform is on higher ground, same level with the landing platform of the bus. And with that level, ramp is built as part of the universal design concept. I noticed that textile symbolising stop are placed at the road junction and crossing as well as surrounding the phone booth. No textiles along the whole street are built and I wonder why? After some observation, I presume this is possible because no other obstructions including the signboard, flower pots, rubbish bins and commercial products are placed on the pedestrian walkways. Even at one of the street I walked by in which automobile services centres are located. To my surprise if compared with those service centres back home, no car waiting to be service, no machinery and no unwanted flat tyres are put on the pedestrian walkway as well as no bins for illegal reserving of parking lot in front of the shops are seen. It is free of any obstructions. Perhaps these are some small, but meaningful gestures toward sustainability should be practiced. I think I know too little about cities in Brazil.

Good Parking Management

I was impressed with the car parking system in SSM Tower at KL Sentral. During my last visit there, I noticed that all parking lots closer to the entrance are reserved for the visitors. To me, this shows how sensitive and caring of the management towards good customer service. It is not only purely customer oriented, but environmental friendly as well.

Most, if not all the parking complexes I visited previously have reserved the parking lots closer to entrance for the season parking or designated for the office use or senior officers. It leaves the visitors no choice, but to look for parking space further inside the complex, some time few level down into the basement. This is not only a troublesome experience, but also a waste of resources and pollution generating gesture. By asking people to drive two or three levels down means more fuel consumed, and hence more time wasting and more CO2. Why can't we request the designated parking to be placed in places that wou;d not inconvenient the visitors? After all, the season parking holders or senior officers will be there from the starting of working hour until afternoon without removing their cars very often.

Kudos to the corporates for this small gesture, but a meaningful and thoughtful one.

Underground Shopping

Travel with Metro in Guangzhou City is a pleasant experience. While the well connected rail is so accessible, affordable and convenient, shopping underground from the entrance leading to the gate of rail station is equally impressive. Plenty of shops offering variety of goods and services are lined up along the axis to the station. You will not miss it, perhaps you do not want to miss it.

While commercialising the corridor with high pedestrian movement is a commercial decision, the planning itself must be right. Putting some commercial activities along the corridors no doubt will attract attention and customers, it must however according to what we aspire and want. For example, is that ok for having the street artists performing there? Is that right for hawkers cooking and selling food there? We must have a good tenant mix catering to the need of travellers and perhaps shoppers so that walking leading to the rail station is a pleasant experience, and not a boring and unsecure trip.

I wish to see similar happenings in our LRT, commuter and MRT line, one day.

Metro in Guangzhou

I was in Guangzhou City of China attending a fair and discussion with the city officers last week. One of the development impressed me the most is the well connected, accessible and affordable public transportation and pedestrian network. I was told the network was in place prior to the Asian Games in Year 2010. I visited the city 5 years ago and I must admitted the speed of urban transformation equally surprised me to say the least. I cannot recall any cities in the World except China that have gone this pace of rapid development.

The public transportation system is very efficient and connectivity is covering almost every corner of the city. It is reachable from one end to the other end within set time frame. On top of that, the pricing structure make travelling affordable. I paid RMB 12 to travel from down town to the Baiyun Airport. I cannot recall of city-airport transfer with similar pricing. Apart from that, the whole metro lines are underground, not even at grade or elevated. With the efficient public transportation, it will stimulate tourism and travelling. My collegues without the knowledge of Chinese of language are able to travel to tourist destinations without any difficulty. Of course, their only inconvenience is how to bargain for the best price.

Bus Service by Local Government

It was reported that proposal of local government providing bus service was suggested during the Dialogue Session for Preparing Selangor State Budget 2012 yesterday. The proposal is commendable and explorable further for its realisation. The Local Government Act 1976, Act 171 does not stop local government from providing such services. Nowadays, transportation and traffic is becoming major concern for many residents and main cause of degradation for quality living and pollution. Although the areas are covered by transit networks, but the service is disrupted due to lack of supplementary shutter service for ferrying people from their home to the station. On top of that, connectivity, accessibility and affordability of public transportation is having large room for improvement.

Local Government can operate the bus service plying major transit points and town centre for preventing more private vehicles from entering the city centre. This service can then be extended to other parts of the town. If local government is worried about managing the fleet of buses, then perhaps for a start, local government can negotiate with the existing bus companies for extending the area of coverage and increase the frequency of services. Of course, to subsidise for the service if the companies are reluctant to do so is unavoidable. Providing services to the residents is part and parcel of service delivery by local government although some might said the transportation service is under the prelude of Land Transport Commission. To me, if a particular local government can and able to provide the service for the sake of overcoming the problem of traffic, then why not? Penang Municipal Council is doing that and recently Penang State Government followed suit providing shuttle service from Seberang Prai to the Bayan Lepas Industrial Zone are two classic examples.

Transportation in Kaohsiung

The number of motorcycle in Kaohsiung City is out numbered the total population. More than 2 million motorcycles are found in the city. The presence of motorcycle is becoming an environmental haphazard and also dampened the efforts of the Government to encourage use of other mode of public transportation such as MRT train. Although the MRT train is networked well, its utilisation is very much well below the target. The company operating the MRT system is losing money. Having said this, the City Government is planning to further reduce the fare to encourage higher usage rather than to increase the fare to cross subsidial the loses. It is simply commendable as investing in public transportation is not as simple as figure shown, but more than a public social and environmental responsibility. It is a right move towards low carbon target.

The plan for cycling is equally impressive. To encourage cycling, the City Government has built well connected, safe and dedicated cycling path for the cyclists. In general, what cyclists are asking for is having a comfortable, safer and connectible route for commuting to work place or shop or study area from their place of living. Kaohsiung City is building a very comprehensive network of cycling path. Apart from that, the renting scheme of bicycle is also of help. Everybody can rent a bicycle at different bicycle station located adjacent to the strategic transportation area and places of interest such as MRT station, parks, schools, bus terminal and others. Anyone can have a free ride for half an hour and would only need to pay if the time excess half an hour. The pay is nominal. The station for returning the bicycle is convenient. The procedure for having the bicycle for temporary use is simple. Even ancilerrary services such as washroom for cyclists to change thier clothes is provided. All these contributed to higher and higher usage of bicycle as another alternative of transportation.

Currently 70% of residents in Kaohsiung is using motorcycle as their main mode of commuting. The City Government is looking at dispersing this percentage to other mode of transportation. These include walking, cycling, MRT and bus. Of course, motorcycle is not to be victimised in which incentive is given for the cyclists to shift their fuel driven motorcycle to the electric motorcycle. Apart from that, buses include the low platform one is plying the city with more route coverage. It is visible and easy to hop on.

On the pipeline also includes the building of LRT system, river transportation and compact city concept to discourage trip generation.

All the above are running now or is going to start. Action is taken. For a good execution, I believe nothing is more than to start it first immediately, and of course integration is important and critical.

Car Parking

Car park provision is always associated with the economic activities. It is an essential service instead of money making instrument. Thereby, it is wrong to prioritise the income generation over the overall strategy for transportation when drafting a car parking policy. However, many of the institutions, be it the local authorities or building owners ignored this fact. Some charge absorbitant price because the demand is high and some sold the parking right for instant return of investment. While charging higher fee as a controlling measure to discourage long term parking in a busy commercial centre can be considered as part of the parking policy, the same cannot be said for some area without parking problem. Hence, providing free parking should be considered if the local circumstance warrant that to be done. For example, providing a more organised and centralised parking bays at the school vicinity in which a lot of parent parking their cars at the road side waiting for the school session finished can be a solution for the traffic congestion.

Car parking policy can be a good instrument to allievieate the traffic problem in the city centre. If the demand is higher, then short term parking should be encouraged. This will discourage car parks being occupied for longer hours. On top of that, efficient public transportation will also encourage people to not come to the city centre with private mode of transportation.

I presume drafting the car parking policy is not the sole responsibility of the people in financial management, but rather transportation planning and enforcement should also be involved.

Free Bus Service

I attended a briefing delivered by the State Government of Penang yesterday. One of the interesting innovation they have carried out is the providing of FREE bus service in the CBD of Georgetown. The bus service is provided by Rapid Penang and fully pay by the Municipal Council of Penang. I was told that the Council is paying RM50,000 per month to get the service done. After listening to the briefing, I cannot resist on trying out myself the service provided. It is pretty good covering the major destinations in CBD area, namely the KOMTAR, Padang Kota, Jetty and others.


To say the least, I am impressed with the political will and management commitment of the Council to provide public transportation service. While many have argued that public transportation is under the juridic ion of Federal Government and the local authority can only have minor responsibility, I disagree with the argument. The example of Penang Municipal Council proved that local authorities can have a big role to play in providing public transportation service and not to confine to providing bus stop, bus lane and sign board only, after all everyone is kept talking about having an efficient public transportation service for overcoming the traffic congestion and other road-based traffic problem.


If the local authorities do not take pro-active action in solving the transportation problems, or the least is to complimenting efforts of others to reduce the traffic problems, then it is a problem that forever cannot keep up with the pace of development, i personally think.

Pedestrian Friendly City

I facilitated a group discussion last week on making Kuala Lumpur a pedestrian friendly city. It is indeed a difficult task of putting pedestrian first rather than the motorist. In Malaysia, many road circulation planning has been done to serve the motor vehicles. None of the planning has started with the people walking behaviour at the centric of development. The planners and engineers has always drew the line of roads starting from major highway to the local collector road, and lastly the pedestrian walkway at the side table of the road reserve.

For planning a pedestrian friendly city, the current practice has to be changed. It must be a bold step of identifying the pedestrian walking behaviour between major focus points first and followed by other traffic infrastructure provision.

Talking about human behaviour, many would like to shorten the distance of walking between the origin and destination, walk under a safer, comfortable, undisturbed and conducive environment. Nobody like to walk under the hot sun. Equally nobody want to be alert attentively for fearing to be robbed. More importantly pedestrian would like to be well respected by other users of the road.

Walking by far is affordable by everyone regardless of their social status and wealth. It is not going to cost any single cent for walking compared to other mode of transportation. Thereby, walking is becoming a basic human right to be enjoyed by all. Providing a conducive, safe, well connected and accessible walkway is essential and critical.

Thereby the discussion summarised that for making Kuala Lumpur a pedestrian friendly city, approaches and mind set of planners and decision makers have to be revamped first in which People ahead of motorist is required.

Sustainable Lifestyle in Practice

I am not sure whether it is environmental consciousness or not. I took a day bus trip for city tour of Kita-Kyushu yesterday. While exploring the places of interest is my main objective, I accidentally discovered that bus drivers have the tendency of switch off the engine while waiting for passengers or in front of the traffic light. It was done by almost all of the bus drivers. Later, I was made to understand that it is for the sake of protecting environment. It is to cut down the carbon emission even for a few seconds.

Some experts claimed the consumption for fuel is higher every time we start an engine and to switch on and off of an engine will shorten the life span of the engine, of course the passengers might also complain for discomfort. Economically, perhaps it is not feasible of doing so. Socially, if the passengers are not concerned much about CO2, it will create a lot of dissatifaction in which I believe it will definitely happen in Malaysia.

However, the people of KitaKyushu are supportive of this small but important gesture. It is a practical way of doing little individually, but collectively bring in bigger impact to the climate change problem. The City Council does not mind to folk out higher operation cost, the drivers do not see it a trouble of switching on the engine so often, and more importantly the public does not complain about discomfort. I think this is partnership and participation in practice as well.

Catch 22@PJ: Road or dining area

This is common phenomenon during any festive season, and Chinese New Year cannot spare from this. The sudden surge of business "forced" restaurant operators to put tables and chairs onto the road. Occupying the public space and thus taking over the car park lots. This has worsened the traffic situation in some commercial area. While this is an opportunity once in a year and considering that the uncertainty for the coming year economic situation, the act of operators to defy the law is "understood". Having said this, what should be done? Perhaps allowing operators to do this with better control on traffic flow.

Contrast@PJ: Directional vs Advertising Sign

The directional sign was erected at Jalan SS25/2 to provide information to the motorists heading to Kampung Chempaka, Taman Mayang, Dataran Prima, Taman Emas, Jalan SS25/23 and Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong. It is nothing unusual, but the location for the signboard. The signboard was erected in no where near to the junction closes to the above places as mentioned. The orientation of the signboard is sliding towards the coming traffic from Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong, thus making the advertisement at the back side is visible to the motorists.

With the above observation, i can only assume that the signboard was put up mainly for advertising purpose, rather than for the purpose of public notification.

Catch 22@PJ: Directional Sign for Advertiser

I noticed this signboard when traveled along the Jalan Templer recently. At first, i thought it was an advertising board for few advertisers, but realised later that it was the back side of a sponsored directional sign in which the front side showing the direction for this area. The siting which leaning towards the incoming traffic convinced me that it is a case of creative advertising marketing strategy. While the sponsors have the right of advertising by sponsoring the erection of the directional board, i presume greater monitoring mechanism should be there to ensure that it is not abused. Information should come first rather than making money. Similarly, it reminds me how creative others such as shop owners fence up the drain as storage place, house owners cement the grass land for car parking, workshop operators putting a tyre to pre-book the parking space etc. It is a case of "raping the public right", perhaps.

Covered Parking for PWD

Another milestone was achieved by MBPJ yesterday with the launching of the first covered parking for people with disabilities in the office of MBPJ. It signals the start of providing 150 disabled friendly covered car park in PJ. The effort is part of the MBPJ's plan in converting the city into a barrier free city. In mid this year, MBPJ became the first local authority in Malaysia to provide free of charge transit service for the people with disabilities. It is a service for PWD to commute within Petaling Jaya for essential services.

The launching by YB Ronnie Liu is part of the celebration programme for this year International Day for Persons with Disabilities. It must be a new year gift for the community at large. It is made possible with the persistence of Mr Anthony, MBPJ's councillor who himself a disabled person. While MBPJ is pioneering the efforts in providing users friendly facilities and services for all, the efforts can only achieve its desired target with the participation and commitment from all sectors especially the building owners and service providers. Perhaps with amble awareness, knowledge and skills as well as passion, barrier free environment of PJ is not too far the distance. I subscribe to that.

Catch 22@PJ: Directional Sign vs Advertising Sign

I noticed the orientation of this board during my travel to Kota Damansara recently. The siting of advertising is favoured towards the incoming traffic, the reverse side showing the information of direction is not visible to the traffic. This indicates the priority is given to the advertising purpose. While some might argue that it is a conduct of securing advertisement or else the direction sign cannot be put up. The advertisers need funding to cross subsidy the cost of erecting the board. Well, it is true that mileage should be given to the sponsor and nobody will dispute it. However, it is wrong if the exercise does not serve the intended purpose, that is providing information to the motorists. No point of having an information oriented structure if it will not benefit the users. It is a practice of taking advantage, and thus a pure business venture. We are in the Catch 22 situation. While directional sign to provide information is required, the practice of prioritising advertising is unnecessary.

Contribution from private sector for infrastructure and public facilities is most welcome. While it is a corporate social responsibility, the good gesture will help in reducing the burden of MBPJ in providing the facilities. The contribution is definitely needed. Having said this, minimum guideline is required so that the provision is having more social objectives rather than the perception of having more economic returns. I believe the sponsors will not mind to contribute directly towards the good cause and with a minimum exposure if proper publicity has been given from the beginning. Perhaps, innovative marketing strategies from MBPJ is required. A total package encompassing the cost and benefit to stakeholders, namely the users and sponsors is important.

Public Transport

It is pleased to know that our Prime Minister took the KTM Commuter and LRT yesterday morning to find out the services of our rail system. It was reported that PM is not too happy with the services and pledged that he would give attention to improve the rail service.

It is nothing new as the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affair and the former Minister of Housing and Local Government tried the services early of the year and commented that the rail service needs urgent improvement. Even the Minister of Transport talked about KTM service a day earlier.

Again, all these have been known to the layman, the man with only public transport to rely on for daily commuting. Of course, the newcomers whom shifted to public transport after the recent fuel hike felt the same.

Problems like train delay, infrequent service, coaches are packed like sardine, unfriendly and safety in doubt walkway leading to the station, unreliable of feeder service, of time over charge of taxi service etc. People have voiced out their grievances again and again, but no major improvement have been done for an efficient public transport.

Perhaps things can only change for better if our VVIP are taking public transport to work, to shop, to live and to leisure regularly and quietly. Once it is noticed by those related to the industry, an efficient service might be there for us to enjoy.

An integrated public transport system focusing on the quality and quantity is critical. Making trip generation starting from door step as efficient and pleasant as possible will encourage the shift of mode of transport from private to public. I believe people including the blue collar and office workers do not might to take public transport to work if the service is reliable, efficient and affordable.

Also imposing heavy cost through taxation system for the private motorised trip generation should be considered. Lesser cars on the road is also meant reduction of CO2 and thus our environment. However, this option is possible if only the public transport system is there and efficient.

I believe that the presence of PM in the station signalises that improvement for an efficient public transport system is in the pipeline. I hope the time will come the soonest possible for us to have a good choice of commuting.

For the time being, life comes back to the normal and as usual for the commuters.