GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government should focus on increasing public transport and providing pedestrian-safe infrastructure before talking about a 6.5km undersea tunnel, a DAP state assemblyman said yesterday.
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey said the tunnel linking the island to the mainland was ranked as “low priority” in the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) compared to improving the safety and comfort of its road for pedestrians.
Her statement comes after Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over the weekend hit out at critics of the tunnel planned between Bagan Ajam and Bagan Jermal. Lim had said the tunnel was needed as it would help reduce congestion on the island and be a catalyst to economic development in the northern part of the state.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Yap said there is need to improve public transport before considering the tunnel project. “The PTMP highlights that the state government should immediately focus on improving the safety and comfort of its road for pedestrians. It explains that having pedestrian-friendly roads is a pre-requisite for effective public transport systems. Using public transport will become more attractive when the roads are more pedestrian-friendly.
“Another immediate focus should be to improve public transport amenities such as bus stops, route maps, time tables and better access to bus information. The PTMP includes trams between George Town and the airport.
“Therefore, you can have a tunnel but you must prioritise public transport. One must not put the cart before the horse.”
The PTMP was conducted by Halcrow Consultants Sdn Bhd, AJC Planning and Singapore Cruise Centre Pte Ltd at a cost of RM3.2 million, featuring integrated strategies over the years that will cost the state RM27 million to implement.
Yap said that currently 10,000 new vehicles are registered in Penang every month and the population is expected to grow from 1.5 million now to 2.5 million in 2030. “Even with an additional link between Penang island and the mainland, severe traffic congestion is expected if effort is not put in to reduce the need to use private cars,” she added.
Yap said that if the state could build an undersea tunnel without federal funding, then it should be able to build public transport via the same arrangement. “Considering what the critical needs are to prevent Penang island from slowing into a traffic gridlock, it seems wise to use land swap deals to fund pedestrian-friendly public infrastructure and provide capital investment for trams before funding a tunnel.”
Yap was referring to Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd’s (CZB) RM6.3 billion contract to build a 4.2km bypass from Gurney Drive and Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, a 4.6km bypass between Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Bandar Baru Air Itam, a 12km paired road from Jalan Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang, and the tunnel.
She said the first phase of these projects’ environmental impact assessment will be submitted to the state executive council at the end of the month.
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 06, 2014.