Transcript Traffic and Urban Issues in Penang

Traffic and Urban Issues in
Penang
By S P Choong.
Coordinator STEP and CEPAT
People’s Forum, 13 April 2008.
Disted College Penang.
1.Background.
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Sustainable Transport Environment for
Penang (STEP) is a people’s movement,
an outcome of the SPI project
implemented by SERI (1997-1999).
Series of roundtable dialogues w many
NGO’s and cultural groups to identify the
factors for Sustainable Development in
Penang. 1997-1999.
2. STEP to CEPAT
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Inertia of the Government. authorities forced
STEP to build a stronger and more aggressive
coalition
CEPAT consisted of 25 NGO’s sharing same
concerns in 2005
Working with Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan as
Ex-Co in charge of Traffic management over 8
years.
Facing the same issues over and over again.
See latest bus crisis in Komtar and CVLB’s reply
2a . Strategy Change
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In December 2005, a Strategy Change,
STEP together with CAP, SAM, MNS, Aliran
and others became CEPAT (coalition of 25
NGO’s).
Stopped closed door dialogue w Govt.
Switch to public debate, demands and
threats of legal action.
3. Interview by SERI on
Transport Issues 2005.
 What
are the issues and
challenges faced by the state /
traffic planners regarding the
public transportation ?
 What are the solutions proposed?
4. The Causes
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Why the horrendous traffic congestion
today?
Long term failure of Govt’s transport
policies and their implementation by
agencies e.g. CVLB, JPJ, Puspakom.
Promoting cars and neglecting public
transport; favouring corporate cronies.
Above all we need a competent State
Transport Authority; not a federal board.
5. Changing Peoples' Mindset
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We are Car dependant citizens.
We buy and maintain private motor
vehicles
as a necessity, despite the cost.
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Are we to blame?
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6. Our Planning Culture
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MPPP’s town planning culture has been
based on the lack of good public
transport.
Road widening, creating one way streets
and more on-street car parking for cars.
Our car-dependant population is created
by
a pro-car urban environment
A result of bad planning.
7. Examples.
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Road widening, more on-street parking
results in
Less roadside greenery (for shade)
Less space for pedestrian pavements
(often none)
One-way systems speeds up traffic; bad
for pedestrians crossing, often dangerous.
Loss of safe cycling space.
8. Present Realities.
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Penang has highest vehicle per capita in
Malaysia.
MV Growth estimated as over 10% /yr
over the last 10 years.
But Govt. has had no comprehensive
policies on traffic management.
State Transport authority should do this.
9. Financial Implications.
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The Govt considers public transport (PT) as a
profitable private sector service, long outdated.
Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), put
under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development
and Cooperatives is a gross anomaly.
(should be the Ministry of Transport).
Both the are deliberately, grossly incompetent!
9a Health Implications.
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Noise and Air Pollution are obvious
hazards to health.
Difficult to calculate health care costs.
High lead content and brain damage in
children (WHO criteria).
Respiratory problems in asthmatics..
10. Cheaper to encourage cars??
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Costs of sustaining infrastructure for
increasing private MV traffic far outweigh
that of subsidizing PT
eg road widening, new highways and their
maintenance,
PORR, a waste of money, an enviromental
disaster.
Now even higher petrol subsidies by Govt.
running into billions.
11. An Essential Public Service
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Not a profit making enterprise.
PT is an essential public service, requiring
appropriate subsidies to be efficient. (like
services in healthcare and education).
A principle accepted by all transport consultants
Decisions long overdue:
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a) Govt taking over of the assets of PT systems in KL;
b) Setting up Rapid Penang with the financial backing
of the Ministry of Finance;.
12. CEPAT Proposed
Remedial Actions,
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Proposals already made to BN state
Government since 1999.
Now over to YB Chow Kon Yeow, Ex-Co in
charge of Traffic, Local Government and
the Environment!
13. A Pro PT Traffic Environment
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Address obstacles to efficient PT system
Solve traffic bottlenecks along the routes,
more enforcement!!.
Sacrifice on-street parking space for
dedicated bus lanes.
Ensure punctuality, essential in promoting
switch in transport modes, a key indicator
to success.
13a Alternative Non-motorized
Modes.
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Bicycles and Trishaws should be
encouraged.
Remember, all the senior citizens in the
audience, do you recall cycling to school
daily. Why did we stop?
Create cycle lanes and parking facilities.
Improve pedestrian walkways w more tree
planting for shade.
14. Commuter Shift from Private to
Public Transport
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Coordinated efforts needed from the
traffic planners, enforcement agencies and
the bus operators to ensure that PT
efficiency is given top priority.
In Penang, less than 10% of our
commuters using buses.
In many developed countries, where the
car ownership is equally high, PT share is
60 - 70%.
15. Incentives and promotion of PT.
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Publicity and promotion needed as in
other commercial services.
Better maps, signage, better designed bus
stops.
GPS systems to predict schedules.
16. Corporate Incentives.
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Government Incentives.
Tax breaks to employers for supporting PT,
for employers who subsidise their staff on
PT fares?
Civil Servants already have allowances for
car parking, should this be converted into
a PT subsidy?
17. Disincentives to private car
users by MPPP
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Reduce on-street parking bays, raise rates,
(ridiculously low in Penang) use extra FUNDS to
improve PT?
Stricter enforcement on all illegal parking,
Eliminate one-way streets and introduce traffic
calming eg cobblestones, road bumps etc.
Create Car free zones closed to private motor
traffic except for PT and non-motorised vehicles
18. Planning and Infrastructure.
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Improve accessibility / comfort of the bus stops,
Plan ‘park and ride’ stations outside of CBD,
Pedestrian access that’s both safe and
comfortable to elderly and disabled.
Problems:
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a) pedestrian pavements narrowed for road widening,
blocked by illegal vehicle parking, hawkers etc.
b) Faster traffic on one way systems dangerous for
pedestrians and cyclists.
Now: RapidPenang
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RapidPenang is only the first step towards
solving our traffic problems here; other
factors need to be addressed.
Careful planning and inter-agency
coordination needed.
Poor coordination repeatedly used as
excuses before: CVLB, JPJ and Puspakom
in Collusion??
CEPAT proposes sack the CVLB chief!
21. From Economic perspective
Investment and Tourism.
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Efficient PT is one of the key factors in
evaluating the quality of the urban
environment.
Asiaweek did surveys on the ‘Liveability
Index’ for the business community.
Penang rated top 5 in 1996; subsequently
falling due to traffic problems.
21a The UNESCO Heritage Listing.
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Listing as a World Heritage Site, an
important factor in helping economic
development in inner city.
Our Heritage Management Plan must
include proposals to address the traffic
problem to be
All these Factors attract foreign investors
as well as tourist arrivals.
21b Better Property values
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Especially in the heritage inner city,
plagued by traffic noise and pollution.
Can they become desirable up market
residential and commercial spaces after
traffic problem is solved?
Look at prices of properties in the old
inner city areas of Singapore like Emerald
Hill.
22. From Social Equity
perspective,
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PT is not a poor man’s facility
To establish the environment for a good PT
system,
More private car owners must get off streets ,
even those w Mercedes and BMW’s.
Across the causeway, professionals and CEO’s
commute to work on PT.
A challenge to our new CM and Ex-Co do the
same?
22. Caring Society?
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Consider special groups.
Elderly, less affluent mothers with children, the
disabled who are permanently marginalized if
they cannot use private motor vehicles.
Govt supports training for people with various
disabilities and single mothers to acquire
marketable skills.
Without PT access they are simply
housebound, cannot do their chores nor
go out to work!
With YAB Lim Guan Eng and
YB Chow, another chance?
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Will things will change in time for me to
get around George Town safely and
comfortably when I shall be going around
in my wheel chair?
Where there’s Life there’s Hope, they Say!
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Thank you for your attention!
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