Good response to KL-Klang bus line proposal

PETALING JAYA: The proposed Kuala Lumpur-Klang Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is well received by the market, judging by the interest shown following an invitation by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

At the close of bidding on Tuesday, five proposals were received following SPAD’s request for proposal (RFP) issued on Jan 1 for ideas to optimise the project spanning 34km with 25 stations.

The RFP exercise is open to all bidders registered in Malaysia with experience in transit or infrastructure projects, with the scope of the RFP including planning, designing, financing, constructing, operating, maintaining and even upgrading the BRT line.

Apart from speeding up travel between Kuala Lumpur and Klang, the BRT will be integrated with the LRT, MRT and KTM Komuter lines and bus terminals.

The KL-Klang BRT line is the most important corridor from the 12 BRT corridors identified under the Klang Valley BRT Feasibility Study as it fills important gaps in the existing public transport network while providing a direct connection between two highly developed areas.

The project is designed to cut the journey time from Klang to Kuala Lumpur from 70 minutes to 40 minutes through dedicated bus lanes mostly running along the Federal Highway.

According to current projections, the BRT project is expected to serve some 1.9 million people, with a forecasted daily ridership of over 400,000.

“We are encouraged by the interest and submissions from the market,” said Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, CEO of SPAD.