Penang Transport Master Plan is to sustain island’s development
Cities become more liveable, progressive and sustainable when there is enhanced accessibility and connectivity to move people around and this is achieved by providing sufficient and efficient public transport.
However, moving people solely on public transport is not a total solution. We cannot ignore the fact that private vehicle ownership will continue to rise in developing countries and to cater to this, roads are essential.
Through the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), the Penang government has set a target of 40% mode share for public transport and 60% for private vehicles. It is the same mode share target set by the federal government.
While the 40% target is still way below many cities, Penang currently starts from a base point of barely 5% public transport mode share.
“With the right incentives and stimuli, I believe it is possible to achieve a gradual shift in mode share and get more people on public transport.
“Coupled with fast-evolving technology in producing cleaner and zero emission cars, the impact of pollution on the environment will be greatly reduced,” said Penang Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.
As a developing country, Malaysia’s economic growth and the demand for mobility has caused a rapid rise of vehicles on the road.
In Penang over the last 10 years, the number of vehicles has increased by 52% (from 1.8 million to 2.7 million in 2017).
At the same time, there remains only one main spinal road in Penang – the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu (LCE) Expressway – that is constantly congested with standstill traffic during peak hours.
Gridlock in Penang has not only resulted in productivity losses but also causes inefficiencies in economic activity and degradation of the environment.
In short, traffic congestion is limiting economic growth and impacting quality of life.
“To meet the needs of the people and to sustain the development of Penang, there is no doubt that we need to improve the basic road network on the island,” said Zairil.
There are many cities that recognise the need to encourage public transport as well as develop an efficient and viable road network.
Singapore is one such example, where expressways are constantly being built and upgraded in tandem with rail lines to meet the demand of increasing vehicles despite having a public transport mode share of 67%.
Over the last decade, while the number of vehicles in Singapore increased by only 13% (from 850,000 to 962,000), Singapore has built two expressways in that period. Today, Singapore has 11 expressways and six major rail lines.
“It is important to understand that while provision for public transport is needed for a more sustainable way to commute especially during peak hours, highways like the Pan-Island Link 1 (PIL1) are needed to disperse traffic away from the local roads thus freeing road space for the last kilometre connection to public transport such as buses and the planned LRT,” said Zairil.
PIL1 will function as a new spinal road connecting the main residential corridors in the north and central region of the island to the industrial corridor in the south.
There will be five interchanges at strategic locations for traffic dispersal: Gurney, Utama, Paya Terubong, Tun Dr Awang and LCE. With PIL1 as the second spine, the load on LCE will be relieved.
Meanwhile, the Bayan Lepas LRT will link George Town to the Penang International Airport, passing by a corridor with the highest trip demands (Komtar, Macallum, Jelutong, LCC Terminal and Bayan Lepas FIZ). This will form the main backbone for public transport as it will provide connectivity within the island, and eventually to the mainland.
To ease traffic congestion in Penang, the LRT and PIL1 should be implemented concurrently. The LRT on its own will not be able to reduce traffic jams.
In the case of PTMP, Penangites need to look beyond the initial inconveniences during the construction years.
“If we want to address the traffic congestion problem and achieve the goal of a more liveable and sustainable Penang, we need to shed the ‘not in my backyard’ mentality and instead put the needs of the state and our future generations in focus,” said Zairil.
Source: TheStar.com.my
You people believe that ???
NGO talk only…
where and what happens to all the NGO that cycles to work every day for the green environment?
NGO talk only la, they where got use public transport.
If reject development, actually Kedah / Kelantan are nice place to live. Always green, and green for few miles driving still green.
yeah exactly, NGo reject for the sake of reject, please ask them ride bicycle
ride bicycle also using the road lar…
NGOs just walk around Penang, no car, no LRT
NGOs pls go to live in your own wonderland (out of Penang). Dont act like you are the representatives for Penangites.
Ok, ok lah. Pls build lah. Just don’t ask me to cycle to work.
Just tell me which location property to buy ya.
@NGO
Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu. No highways, no noise, no pollution, no vibration, no blasting. Only green, green, green. What a wonderful world.
@Greenery
if you so liking in LRT, go to Singapore ride the LRT until you siok siok lah, don;t follow ppls do what you do what. you may consider to out of Penang if you think Penang is not up to you liking. the world is always open. think twice, if Penang is implemented, would you sacrifice your car by taking public transport every day. ask yourself about this lah, Penangites is too pamper in taking its own car instead of public transport. even walk 10 minutes also kau peh kau boo. speechless.
@Eng
I only suggest greenery locations, I never said I like LRT, and if I want, just ride Penang LRT will do lah, why go to Singapore? Crazy ar?
I never said I don’t like Penang, I fully support PTMP, and Penangites who like driving may use PIL highway to get away from traffic jam nightmare, fullstop.
I cannot stand why the supporters of SRS Consortium’s PTMP seems to keep on using Singapore as an example to compare to. Please, if you think Singapore is so great, go and stay in Singapore and enjoy their MRT and Highways there. Please don’t bring the ‘kiasuness’ of Singapore here to Penang.
We should not keep comparing to what Singapore does. That is not what we should be turning Penang into. We should be asking what we want Penang to be and for me personally i want us to maintain the uniqueness and charm of Penang. If we keep trying copy the LRT and Highways from Singapore, we will end up transforming Penang into a ‘cheap’ ‘low quality’ ‘imitation’ of Singapore because we will never be able to match the wealth and infrastructure of Singapore.
So everytime i hear people make comparisons to Singapore, i believe these people’s hearts are not for Penang. They are probably secretly pining for Singapore and trying to make Penang more like Singapore.
If you don’t compare yourself with developed Nations? Then what do you want us to compare with? China compare themselves to Japan and the U.S. Does this mean China is a country that is ‘cheap’ and ‘imitation’ of these countries back in the early 20s?
i strongly believe you talk to everywhere or by bicycle. take a deep breathe and think. for penangites and if you’re asking them to walk for 10-15 minutes, they would rather take a car. due to the hot weather and etc. if you’re jam in a traffic for 20 minutes. you complain penang is too jam.
road to a developed nation is not easy, there are certain parties that has to make the necessary sacrifice (eg : related areas which affected by the development). and it’s not about being kiasu, it’s about DEVELOPED.
if you do not want a nation to be developed. you can consider migrating to
Kedah , Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan. Sarawak.
and probably buy a piece of land at the size of 15000sqft with the price of a Low medium cost apartment in penang. enjoy your “uniqueness and charm by yourself” and stop being selfish.
sekian terima kasih
@joke
I recommend Kuantan, can walk to see turtles no need pil or LRT
If ridership cannot support the cost then put toll on highway to discourage ppl to use car and the toll revenue goes to support LRT.
@Kengkai
I know of two members among the NGOs own some strategic “heritage properties” in Penang island. That’s why they only “fight” their issues regarding the island, no more no less !
Seems like NGO Mr Lim Mah Hui is still not giving up, still insist on tram eventhough LRT has been approved by the federal government. Are they the one who can overide the government and even go against the will of majority Penangites who work hard for the family and contribute to the economic growth of Penang and paying taxes?
They stubbornly FORCE Penangites to agree to their weird point of view, ban all developments in Penang, insist on Tram which would lead to higher chances of road accidents, slow and frequent stops which would worsen the traffic congestion further. Why so selfish? Please think for the good sake of Penang. Please wake up, for goodness’ sake.
I suggest that state government do not give to the demands of this NGO.They have their own agenda and protest because their interest are at stake.
The people of Penang voted PH for a developed and progressive state.We definitely need the PIL1 highway and the LRT to at least cater next 10-15 years of smooth transportation.The NGO knows that if Penang state doesn’t implement the PIL1 highway or LRT , they could lose the next election.It is simply Penangites are feed up being caught in traffic jams for so many years and this mega project will bring a lot of confidence to the Penang people of this government.
i would say the state should just go ahead with PTMP for the sake of Penang’s competitiveness. If Dr Lim mh don’t like it they can always form a political party to run for the next state election. They can scrap the project if they win and have the mandate..
Not amusement park please grow up!
@Greenery
These NGOs keeping saying they care about Penang, but after looking closer, they only care about their own interest. Check out their forum and press conference, only a few people, mostly retirees, who don’t care much about Penang future 30-50 years from now.
They can call press conference everyday because they don’t have full time job!!! Haha.
well what’s the use of Tram anyway? will Tram able to take you to most of the places in town? and the suitability and the demand? the culture of Penang is different
Can anyone here give me Dr Lim’s number? I am very puzzled by his insistence on tram. Really puzzled. Maybe I can call him and get a personal 1-to-1 talk to understand about the tram thing?
@Ah Hui
Majority care about own interest only. They fight because you intrude their “big garden”, you put highway in front / near their house.
Anyway, for me, I will choose to sell the house, take big $ and retire at Kedah or southern Perai area. Enjoy free and relax life there. By the way, recent visit to southern Perai, pretty jam pack… lol..
The NGOs and Dr Lim’s tram and busway will not move people but will move people to insanity.
traffic jam will worsen 10 times if the tram and busway is to take up half of the existing road..
After having tram, they will ask state government to ban cars from entering Georgetown. Sigh.
Why worry about space, come Johor, lots of space, no jam
you try asking penang people drive 30 minutes to a mall or market. you see what they tell u.
r u crazy?so far. anything beyond 15 minutes in Penang is consider far. traffic more than 15 minutes is consider jam. i wonder if LRT in Penang has to wait more than 15 minutes and what will happen
Please don’t under estimate Penang people, 15 mins or 30 mins is really not a big deal, we have encountered congestion which is beyond imagination, and yet we have endured and been patient for years. That is the virtue of Penangites.
today early in the morning , heavy downpour in penang island. anyone spot any of the NGO walk or cycle with umbrella to work? or probably they are sleeping. they are just a bunch of retirees that has nothing to do but to oppose for the sake of oppose.
just because they dont understand how hard it takes for us to go to work daily without improvement on traffic
That’s why we need the government to implement PTMP asap without further delays.
We have had enough, we have been very patient & have been waited so long for traffic improvement.
The reason why NGO object PIL1 may be is because value of their property located near the area will be affected, we can understand that, but what about the LRT vs Tram issue? We all know that it doesn’t make sense at all to have Tram on our narrow and congested roads.
They further opt for the whole PTMP to be reviewed to try slow down the process of implementating PTMP.
What the NGO is trying to prove? May be eager for some kind of recognition, to prove that they have the power to influence the state’s decision. Some kind of power crazy mentality.
These NGOs keep bashing every development project in the state yet unashamedly enjoying the convenience of our roads,highways, penang bridge and airport. They demand local election yet ignoring opinion of the silent majority. they think they are the only intelligent people in Penang.