Vehicle congestion charge for KL a good solution to reduce traffic, but needs to be studied, say academics

Except if you have not been driving for the past handful of weeks, you’re undoubtedly to have discovered the improved amount of targeted visitors congestion in the Klang Valley, with visitors reportedly seeing a two-fold improve in comparison to pre-pandemic instances in 2019 as the result of far more people today returning to work.

Much has been mentioned about the situation of jams turning into extra pronounced and frequent – politicians have waded in, as predicted. Former transportation minister Anthony Loke reported the governing administration desires to tackle the difficulty instantly, though his DAP colleague Liew Chin Tong stated that driving private cars and trucks right here should be made a luxurious and not a requirement and that the way ahead was to have expanded protection of community transport.

Almost nothing incorrect with opinions, but coming up with answers to ease the trouble is what’s wanted. One of the prongs that has been proposed in the approach to overcome traffic congestion has been that of imposing a cost on vehicles getting into into the town, the plan remaining to cut down volume.

A congestion charge for automobiles getting into city centres is not a new idea, getting been implemented in cities these types of as London, Singapore, Stockholm and Milan. The plan has been deemed before, with the most recent remaining from transportation minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, who reported that the governing administration is on the lookout into imposing a charge on automobiles getting into the town just after the MRT 3 Circle Line task has been accomplished in 2030.

The introduction of a vehicle congestion demand is anything specialists agree with, as it is viewed as among the the most effective means to lower website traffic congestion particularly in the federal capital. On the other hand, it by yourself will not deliver the answer, and that option modes of transportation will have to be designed alongside the solution. Public awareness of the problem is also paramount, as Bernama reviews.

Universiti Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) Malaysia institute of transportation (MITRANDS) director associate professor Dr Harlina Suzana Jaafar stated despite the fact that it is a lot more cozy for individuals to drive their personal car or truck, modern society ought to be conscious that the main cause primary to traffic congestion is the high quantity of non-public motor vehicles on the highway.

She explained steps such as widening streets only had a minimal impact in solving traffic congestion as it would only lead to the maximize in the amount of private automobiles on the road and worsen the scenario. She suggested a reduced carbon zone be introduced and appropriate infrastructure be provided in metropolis or housing regions for pedestrians, scooter and bicycle riders to stroll and experience securely.

“Improvements must be built to attain a balanced use of all modes of transportation,” she defined. “Although quite a few are of the watch that it is not appropriate to be implemented in our region owing to its very hot climate, with creativeness we can develop a right and comfortable infrastructure (for pedestrians, scooter and bicycle riders),” she added.

Her sights had been echoed by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) faculty of Constructed Surroundings and Surveying senior lecturer Dr Safizahanin Mokhtar, who said that a in depth research have to be executed and a pilot job be executed for the imposition of congestion fees in the region.

“For illustration, in employing the congestion fees in London, it took a 10-year in-depth analyze such as in terms of users’ movements from selected destinations to one more in several picked spots just before the demo job was carried out,” she stated.

In the meantime, the situation is not possible to make improvements to. Safizahanin explained centered on the 2018 Highway Targeted traffic Volume Malaysia (RTVM) report organized by the is effective ministry, the quality of the major roadways in the federal cash was between D (average) and F (fail) thanks to a substantial selection of cars, which also resulted in extraordinary site visitors congestion.