40% public transport modal share achievable, says SPAD

KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is optimistic that the target of 40% modal share of public transportation by 2030 is achievable.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said with ridership for rail-based public transport (KTM Komuter, LRT, Monorail and ERL) having increased tremendously, a 25% modal share could be achieved by year-end.

"It looks like we are moving on the right track to achieve the 40% modal share (in 2030) as targeted.

"Our rail-based ridership has increased tremendously and efforts by Prasarana (Prasarana Malaysia Bhd) are ongoing to ensure integration and to run an efficient public transportation system in this country," he told Bernama.

Malaysia's public transport transformation is quite recent as SPAD was established only in 2010, he said, adding the modal share of public transport in urban areas rose to 20.8% in 2013 from 19.6% a year earlier. 

"Our youngsters now prefer to travel on public transport, so if it is efficient and affordable, it would be their mode of choice," he said.

The 40% target was set under the National Land Public Transport Master Plan approved in October 2013, and so far everything seems to be working in accordance with the master plan, said Syed Hamid.

Any adjustment will not mean a revocation, it's just a mere addition to the plan. 

"We have done the master plan for the whole country but we need to do the sectorial masterplan, on which we are now working with state governments, he said.

The master plan envisages a 'safe, reliable, efficient, responsive, accessible, planned, integrated, affordable and sustainable land public transport system to enhance socio-economic development and quality of life.

"Now people are more disciplined, they no longer rush, but know how to queue, and the stations are clean.

"Once we introduce an integrated ticketing system, it would become more efficient, and we target seamless travel in two to three years' time," he said, noting that the MRT1 will be commissioned by 2017.-Bernama