Yee (white shirt) speaking on the issue during his visit to busy Jalan Kuching where a bus lane will be introduced in November. — MARIA IBRAHIM/ The Star
THE people need more details on the 5.7km-long bus lane to be implemented along Jalan Kuching, Kuala Lumpur, according to community activitist Yee Poh Ping.
He questioned why no information was forthcoming.
“Where are the bus stops? How frequently will buses pass through each stop?
“The authorities must engage with the public to get real on-the-ground input on road conditions,” he said.
On Oct 12, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that three new bus lanes would be established in Kuala Lumpur.
The other two bus lanes will be along Jalan Cheras-Jalan Loke Yew (11.5km) and Jalan Genting Kelang (8.7km).
The move is expected to be implemented in phases starting from November.
Yee said several issues needed to be addressed first if the aim of encouraging more people in Kuala Lumpur to use public transport was to be met.
They include uncertain bus schedules and long distances between bus stops and residences or workplaces, he said.
He also pointed out that traffic congestion could worsen if bus lanes were established in densely populated areas.
“With rapid development and population increase, the number of cars on the road will only go up.
“Jalan Kuching is already congested. If one of the lanes was allocated for buses, the jam could worsen,” said Yee.
Secondly, he said action needed to be taken against those who misuse bus lanes.
“In Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, cars are frequently parked in bus lanes.
“They block buses from using the lanes, worsening the traffic situation.
“This is compounded by the fact that there is no on-street parking there,” Yee said, emphasising that he is not against the implementation of bus lanes butthat a thorough and in-depth study is needed first.
“Bus lanes can be built in residential areas to connect them to transport hubs like MRT stations.
“However, they should not be implemented on roads with heavy traffic,” he said during a site visit to Jalan Kuching.
He urged Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the ministry to fully utilise the available space around Jalan Kuching to maximise the road’s carrying capacity.
In August, Yee had suggested that DBKL study the possibility of introducing a contraflow from the Batu Caves roundabout to Jalan Sultan Ismail as a short-term solution for traffic congestion in Jalan Kuching.
The contraflow, he said, should operate from 6am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm on weekdays.
As a long-term solution, Yee proposed the construction of an elevated toll-free highway from the Batu Caves roundabout to Jalan Sultan Ismail.
