Micromobility vehicles being considered for first and last mile connectivity, Parliament told

KUALA LUMPUR: Micromobility vehicles are being considered a means to solve the first and last mile connectivity with the public rail system within the Klang Valley, said Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.

"The use of micromobility vehicles is a growing trend in cities and studies are being done in several countries over their use.

"We are also studying whether such vehicles can be used for the first and last mile connectivity where one can carry it onto the train to carry on the journey," the Deputy Transport Minister said when replying a supplementary question raised by Adnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar) in Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (March 8).

Hasbi said the study is part of a pilot project on the use of micromobility under the Town and Country Planning Department (PlanMalaysia).

He said that the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) was also drafting guidelines including evaluating the use of micromobility vehicles.

Hasbi added that Miros was also working with Futurise Sdn Bhd to develop guidelines for companies or those operating micromobility vehicles.

"The Shah Alam City Council has been selected as the location for the first sandbox project to test all the guidelines.

"The guidelines and sandbox project will be launched this March 12 in Shah Alam," he said.

Hasbi added that local council authorities could apply to the Transport Ministry to implement similar sandbox projects in their respective jurisdiction.

The government banned the use of certain micromobility vehicles on the roads on April 26 last year.

The ban involved mopeds, personal mobility devices including electric scooters, devices with internal combustion engines or propelled by human power as well as personal mobility aids.

However, the disabled were allowed to use micromobility vehicles when crossing roads.

The ban was enforced since Dec 17 last year under the Road Traffic (Prohibition of Use of Certain Micromobility Vehicles) Rules 2021.