Azmin: Kidex not a solution to public transportation problem

BANTING: The Selangor state government cancelled the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project because it offered no improvement to the public transportation system, said Azmin Ali.

The state Menteri Besar said building expressways did not decrease the use of private vehicles.

"Expressways move vehicles and not people. I want a public transportation system that can move the people around.

"Traffic congestion problems will still be there regardless of how many highways are built," he said after launching the SegiFresh2u online retail service here Sunday.

He said the state government would support any initiatives in relation to the public transportation system.

"That is the position taken by the state and it was also the reason why Kidex was rejected," he said.

Azmin said that he was all for MRTs, LRTs, BRTs or trams because these public transport system were good, efficient, affordable and had low carbon emissions.

"I do not want the state to have only one option, which is the highway," he said.

He also said that once the MRT and LRT systems were in place, the Federal Government had to invest more in feeder bus services.

He said that ten coaches offering free bus service to LRT stations were already operating in Petaling Jaya, with the addition of another five coaches for Shah Alam in June.

 

Meanwhile, Azmin also lauded the public inspection on the proposed RM9bil Light Rail Transit Line 3 (LRT 3) alignment from Bandar Utama to Klang as a step forward to get public input and feedback.

"I am keeping tabs with Prasarana on this. I want them to engage with members of the public and other stakeholders to ensure they get better feedback before a final proposal is made to the state," he said.

Documents with details of the project, land acquisition plans and features of the proposed stations are on display at the Kelana Jaya, Masjid Jamek and Pasar Seni LRT stations on weekdays from 10am to 7pm.

Feedback forms are available at all seven public inspection venues.

The route, spanning 36km with two kilometres of underground tracks, LRT 3 covers 25 stations from Bandar Utama to Johan Setia in Klang.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2016 and will be completed by 2020.

The line is expected to connect the Western Corridor of the Klang Valley to Kuala Lumpur city centre – a route that is currently only being serviced by KTM Komuter.