Prioritise walkways, not carparks

THERE was a plan to build a RM15mil multi-storey parking and commercial complex at Jalan Panglima in Ipoh Old Town, Perak.

The project was first announced in 2023 to address the parking and traffic congestion in the area and boost the tourism hotspot in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in April this year, with works scheduled to begin in May, but until now, the project has yet to take off.

There had been talk that the project, which would be executed via a private finance initiative model, had stalled due to some disagreements between the relevant stakeholders.

With the project now looking unlikely to be completed by 2026, as it would take at least two years to complete, perhaps Ipoh City Council should look to other options.

In hindsight the proposed complex, which is said to be able to accommodate about 350 cars, will only be a temporary solution to the parking woes.

The artist’s impression of the proposed colonial-style era parking complex at Jalan Panglima Ipoh.

More parking bays would also mean more cars.

With tourism in Ipoh expected to boom, more people, particularly those from other states, would drive to the former tin-mining town and visit the Old Town area.

And before we forget, there is also an earlier plan to make Ipoh a Low-Carbon and Walkable City by 2030, launched in February 2022.

Ipoh Old Town is very much part of the walkable city initiative due to its heritage and tourism attractions.

With the vision to be a Low-Carbon City, having more cars driving into the area seems to defeat the purpose.

Perhaps, the city council could look into building multi-storey parking complexes away from the Old Town area and complement these with shuttle services to drop tourists off at strategic locations.

There are still a few plots of land available in the city, which can house parking complexes and shuttle services.

The plot behind Medan Jaya Bazaar seems viable, as it’s about 135m away from the Little India archway.

Two other locations that seem viable are on Jalan Lim Bo Seng and behind the Telekom Malaysia building.

The location at Jalan Lim Bo Seng is near Kinta Riverwalk, while the other location is about 415m away from the popular Panglima Lane also known as Concubine Lane.

These plots of lands are currently idle, filled with shrubs and trees.

And to encourage more people to walk, perhaps pedestrian paths should have roofs built.

Another option could be elevated sheltered walkways, like the one connecting Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre to Bukit Bintang.

These sheltered walkways would offer protection from sun and rain.

Having these structures connecting locations such as the Ipoh Railway Station, Little India, Kinta Riverwalk and the Old Town may also help minimise the need for cars and even parking bays.

These structures can even be tourist attractions similar to the Saloma Link Bridge, which offers a seamless connection between Kampung Baru and Jalan Ampang, in Kuala Lumpur.