Following the announcement of the Land Public Transport Commission's (SPAD) intention to table a proposal which could lead to the return of tram services in the state of Penang, a urban studies expert has provided his vote of confidence on the subject, theSun reports.
Stuart MacDonald, Penang Institute Fellow and Urban Studies head, commented that this "was what the state was working for in the last four years as seen by the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP)." MacDonald stated that he was confident that the implementation of a tram network in Penang could help lower traffic congestion as it offered an alternative that could help commuters get to their destinations faster.
He went on to add that the three key 'Cs' that make up an effective public transport network should be observed - comfort, convenience and cost-effective. "Convenience means the frequency should be as regular as possible as there is no point in waiting 30 minutes for a tram," he told the daily. The tram service, should it come into service, should be comfortable and "not too pricey for commuters."
As mentioned, SPAD is to submit a proposal for amendments to the Land Public Transport (PAD) Act 2010 as the current version does not contain any form of provision for such a service. SPAD CEO, Mohd Nur Ismail Kamal, clarified that such a move was required as the trams would run alongside vehicles on the road.
Aside from MacDonald, the move was also applauded by Chow Kon Yeow, Local Government Committee chairman, who commented that "the state welcomed the initiative" undertaken by SPAD to amend the legislation. "We shall work on the matter after the appointment of the project delivery partner (PDP) of the PTMP," he concluded.
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