IPOH: The lack of progress on Ipoh’s “walkable city” plan has been criticised by a local non- governmental organisation, which also questioned the initiative’s slipshod rollout. Ipoh City Watch president Prof Richard Ng said there are still several locations in the city that are not walkable, despite the fact that the Ipoh Walkable City 2030 plan was launched in 2022.
“We noticed some existing walkways have been developed along the Kinta River between Jalan Raja Musa Aziz and Jalan Sultan Iskandar bridge.
“However, the walkway is not fully developed, where a certain stretch is not even walkable,” he said in an interview.
“In the city centre, some walkways are not properly maintained and also not friendly to folk with disabilities.
“The plan is fantastic but where is the concrete action plan? I hope the ratepayers can be updated about its progress,” he added.
There have also been talks of turning certain parts of the city into car-free zones but nothing has been implemented yet, Ng said.
“So far, we only have the Ipoh Low Carbon Day, which is held in front of the city council headquarters once a month,” he said.
The Ipoh Walkable City 2030 plan was first mooted by the city council in 2021, as part of its Tourism Heritage and Low Carbon City plans.
The plan covers about 233ha of area in the city and is divided into several zones, including DR Seenivasagam Recreational Park, Ipoh Old Town, Kinta River, Ipoh New Town and Greentown.
Earlier in March, the state government had said more pedestrian walkways were being built to achieve the walkable city plan.
Ng, who is a former city councillor here, said the plan aims to increase mobility and accessibility into and around Ipoh for both locals and tourists.
“It is about maintaining the value of the city’s heritage while supporting urban growth that cares for the environment.
“The city council also hopes that the plan would revitalise the urban economy and increase community interaction with the environment,” he said.
When contacted, Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin assured that the city council was committed to the plan and that more infrastructure would be built to make Ipoh more walkable.
“We are continuously preparing physical facilities that are comfortable and efficient that encourage social interaction, enhance the local economy while also lessening the negative impact towards the environment,” he said.
Rumaizi said the walkable city plan was based on a “15 Minute City” principle that allows people to access their daily needs by only walking or cycling.
“This concept is used widely to make a city more walkable while connecting the local community to their workplaces, eateries, education institutions, bus stations and other facilities without having to drive,” he said.
Rumaizi also said the Ipoh city council was always considering changing the location and expanding the Low Carbon Day programme.
“Among the criteria to be considered included the environmental impact, infrastructures to support walking or cycling, as well as efficient and accessible alternative public transportation.
“We would also require agreement from all relevant stakeholders first,” he said.
