JANUARY 7 — In reference to the article by Joshua Woo Sze Zeng on the Seven reasons why LRT plan in Penang beats BRT and ART, my view is that the state government needs to improve our current public transport system first before committing ourselves to permanent concrete structures like an LRT.

First, the LRT may not necessarily provide a safer and smooth journey to commuters and road users because accidents can occur too even though it is understood that LRT would pose less risk.

Speaking of accidents, the Penang Transport Master Plan (which proposes the LRT) focuses on building more highways for motorised vehicles. In fact, building more highways will lead to road accidents. Isn’t this more reason not to build more highways in the Penang Transport Master Plan? Especially when the traffic congestion will be back to square one after a few years. I would prefer if we could focus more on non-permanent infrastructure such as modern trams, BRT, or ART.

Second, the LRT is not necessarily more comfortable for commuters. I’ve taken trams in other countries like Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, the UK (Nottingham), etc, and I found them to be comfortable and modern. On the other hand, I have taken the LRT in KL, and at times I felt there was jerkiness, so it is all very subjective. The LRT will not be convenient to senior citizens, because they will need to climb stairs, use escalators or lifts. Lifts and escalators need to be maintained frequently. All these including LRT carriages and tracks need costly maintenance.

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Third, if modern tram, ART, BRT, or even just buses are planned properly for users, more people may use public transport. If more people use public transport, there will be fewer vehicles on the roads, and less carbon dioxide emission.

If there is proper connectivity in the public transport system, this will allow people a real choice between driving cars or using public transport in their daily travels. Most people would use public transport as a preferred choice over cars after considering all related factors such as affordability, convenience, efficiency, reliability and so on. For example, if I have both options now, I could opt to drive to work if I wake up late, but if I wake up early, I can take the efficient, reliable and affordable public transport with good first and last mile connectivity to work.

Even by implementing the one LRT line that has been planned for connecting the airport and Komtar, it won’t be convenient for most people because people will still need to ride other public transportation or drive to Komtar or the airport to park their cars. (I wonder where could we find so much land to build car parks). Then, upon reaching the destination, we will also need to rely on other public transport to connect for the last mile.

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Therefore, I am not convinced of the plan to build this costly LRT. It is really tiring for daily travellers like me to change multiple public transportations just to get to a destination especially to get around in a small island like Penang. We will end up wasting our limited resources. I would rather we use these resources to improve the current public transportation and add on new non-permanent infrastructure for transportation such as modern trams, BRT, or ART. If public transport is done correctly with increasing coverage, reliability, affordability and efficiency, I believe that it will definitely not fail in Penang. There is a ready market awaiting public transport.

Fourth, our current public transport ridership is too low to consider building an LRT and to believe that the LRT will magically increase public transport usage is unrealistic.

Furthermore, one may forget that to build the LRT will also take up one lane, a space along the roads to put up the concrete pillars.

Fifth, it is ridiculous to say that LRT’s other benefits for the public would be to serve as a shelter such as during rainy season. So when floods happen, does this mean that everyone can just stay up on the elevated concrete structures? Why would we spend so much just to have such a “benefit”?

Many years ago, I had agreed that we should have an LRT seeing that our federal and state government are not in line with each other. But not anymore now as the state and federal government are within the same coalition.

One final point is that our country is in debt. As such, I believe that it is better to plan for modern trams, BRT, ART and /or efficient buses that ply all routes first. I hope the government would start with a less costly measure first. We can always have a bigger plan in the future should these lower cost solutions not meet our needs.

All in all, LRT is not a great idea. Therefore, I would like to call upon the policy makers and politicians to just study the situation in KL first before repeating the same mistakes in a small state like Penang which I call as my hometown.

*Jackie Moey is a Penangite who observes day-to-day activities.

**This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.