THE ROLE OF EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE TO PROMOTE THE INCREASING PUBLIC TRANSPORT UTILISATION

The availability and improvement of public transportation should be looked upon as a consumer right of citizens. Unfortunately, citizens tend to suffer from the uncoordinated, ill planned and profit driven public transport projects that have been developed by private concerns. An example would be the failure to connect the LRT and Monorail lines in KL Sentral itself that brings about such inconvenience to would be users. ‘Sustainability’ is the key word in increasing the utilisation of public transport and this is undertaken by finding out what the general public would like and making sure it is delivered and maintained. The growing success of RAPID Penang has been brought about by its efficiency that encapsulates:

a. Services (affordable, accessible, frequent, conducive, informative with well trained personnel);

b. Enforcement (relevant authorities take responsibility for monitoring and issuing of licences);

c. Hardware (vehicles with good levels of comfort, safety and cleanliness, GPS);

d. Infrastructure (improved road system which includes bus lanes, developing/improving the bus terminals and bus & taxi stops)

The bus operations of most capital cities in developed countries have been reformed via the introduction of the ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ concept which RAPID Penang will emulate once more infrastructure becomes available. The concept entails shortened travelling distances for buses that will increase their frequency and lower the waiting time despite the transfers. RAPID Penang plans to increase the number of buses from 150 to 350 with the goal of achieving a 70:30 (private: public transportation) usage by 2010. As much has been discussed and covered regarding the various problems being faced by Malaysia’s public transport, he concentrated on short and long term recommendations to alleviate and eventually overcome these problems:

The short term steps:

a. Focusing on low/medium income groups and low vehicle ownership settlement corridors to achieve a higher modal split;

b. Lower priority on high-income groups, low density and high vehicle ownership areas as these places would/can be more effectively served by taxis;

c. Choosing suitable vehicles for feeder services with routes penetrating into densely populated settlements;
d. Review and improving the facilities and amenities (bus stop design, waiting comfort, lighting, etc) on priority routes

The long term steps:

a. Policy and strategy in restraining private vehicle usage in the urban centre;

b. Priority on bus operations and enforcement;
c. Balancing land use planning and development

With all the research and recommendations garnered on the issue over the years there should be little or no room for trial and error. An introduction on Department of Railways (DOR) that reports to the Ministry of Transport and is governed by the Railways Act 1991 & Regulations. The duties & functions of the DOR are as follows:

a. Regulating railway operations and services;

b. Prescribing minimal safety standards for railway operations;

c. Prescribing registration/minimal qualification for railway officials;

d. Promoting interest of users of railway facilities/ services (rates, standards, quality, etc);
e. Promoting expansion/improvement of railway systems/facilities/services

In his opinion on the matter on increasing public transport utilisation, there are several ways of achieving this. First and foremost, is to continuously expand the railway network as the backbone of public transport that is complemented with adequate bus line and bus feeder services. The availability of an integrated, accessible and seamless rail network is also needed that possesses a good level of capacity, comfort and reliability. Added to this, will be the need for a common ticketing system and increase in parking space for private vehicle users who would/wish to use public transport like the railway network.