The hydrogen-powered vehicle for Sarawak's ART system.- Filepic
KUCHING: The autonomous rapid transit (ART) project here is unlikely to face the issues that caused a hydrogen-powered tram line in Foshan, China to be suspended, the Sarawak legislative assembly was told.
State Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said the primary reason for the suspension in China was low ridership because of competition from other public transport services such as rail, metro, buses and e-hailing.
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"The lack of first-mile and last-mile connectivity, such as not having feeder buses or any form of service to take passengers to and from the nearest stations, could also have been a contributing factor," he told Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (GPS-Bawang Assan) during question time on Friday (Nov 15).
In the Sarawak context, Dr Jerip added, the ART project was a pioneering initiative to establish the first reliable mass urban public transport system in the state with dedicated lanes.
He said this would reduce travel time for commuters in Kuching and Samarahan, which currently experience severe traffic congestion during peak hours.
"The ART is designed to be powered by green hydrogen, a clean and sustainable energy source that can be produced locally, leveraging Sarawak's abundant water resources.
ALSO READ: Kuching to receive first two ART vehicles by year's end
"This strategic approach also aligns with Sarawak's commitment to sustainable development and reducing carbon emissions," he said.
In addition, Dr Jerip said 55 hydrogen-powered feeder buses will serve as first- and last-mile connectivity within a 3km radius of each ART station.
He also said 38 ART vehicles will be manufactured and shipped from China in stages to align with the construction of the infrastructure and the system's overall completion timeline.
"The first two units are expected to arrive in Sarawak by the first quarter of next year and will be used for test runs.
"The remaining units will be shipped from China in batches from next year until 2027," he said.
The ART is the backbone of the Kuching Urban Transportation System project, with phase one comprising three lines totalling 69.9km.
The Blue and Red Lines are expected to be fully completed in 2026 and the Green Line by 2027.
