THE state government is not efficient in tackling traffic woes in Penang, especially on the mainland, claimed state Gerakan Environmental Bureau chief Tan Chai Liang.

“If anything, the so-called effort by the state government through its car-free day campaign and bicycle-riding programmes failed to counter the worsening traffic problems in Penang,” he said.

Describing such efforts as short-term measures, Tan said traffic congestion in Penang was at its worst at the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE) roundabout near the Seberang Jaya Hospital during peak hours.

He said that the merging of numerous lanes near the roundabout from the North-South Expressway (NSE), Penang Bridge and Free Trade Zone area as well as from Megamal Pinang or Pacific Hyperstore in Butterworth caused bottleneck traffic congestions daily from 3pm onwards until about 9pm.

“The problem has been there for years but the state government has done nothing about it, which clearly shows that it does not view the problem seriously.

“We have seen a lot of political shows, like state exco members taking public buses, but there is no real effort to solve the matter effectively,” Tan told a press conference at the state Gerakan headquarters yesterday.

He said that as short-term measures, the state government should get traffic police to guide and control traffic flow in the area besides closing other inlets during peak hours to ease the flow of the exit.

“This is to prevent a traffic pile-up on the NSE,” he said.

Tan also said the state government should consider building a flyover or a tunnel to replace the existing BKE roundabout.

He also warned that the traffic congestion on the Penang Bridge and PLUS highway would jeopardise efforts to develop the Batu Kawan area, as investors would be put off by the traffic con- gestion.

State Public Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said that a proposal had been submitted by the state Public Works Department for a flyover to be built on the NSE (with the Seberang Jaya mosque on the left) leading to Kulim (near the Road Transport Department).

“The proposal is submitted yearly but it has always been rejected,” he said.

Lim added that the BKE roundabout is part of the Butterworth Outer Ring Road maintained by Lingkaran Luar Butterworth (Penang) Sdn Bhd which comes under the Malaysian Highway Authority under the purview of the Federal Government.

Source: The Star