In June, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai proposed a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along the Federal Highway. The main aim is to ease congestion on the busy road which spans 45 km from Seputeh in KL to Klang. Electric buses will run on ground level, which means that a lane has to be set aside for buses.
Will the proposed BRT line help? Experts, builders and motorists contacted by The Star have mixed views.
Malaysia Institute of Road Safety Research director-general Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said a BRT would be ideal as bus lanes will be separated by a physical border, but Masters Builders Association of Malaysia president Matthew Tee said the lack of space for the project is a concern.
"There must be proper planning. There aren't any free lanes to use now. As such, I feel that we will end up with a mix of both on-the-ground and elevated BRT lanes," said Tee, who is the group executive director of Binapuri Holdings.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar is a supporter of the idea. "Even if you have more lanes, it will still get jammed right up to the city. This is why we proposed for a BRT from Pasar Seni right up to Klang," he said. Atur Trafik analyst Chin Kar Keong prefers an upgrade on today's transport options. "We have existing systems that are not put to best use," he said.
Malaysia's first BRT line opened in Sunway in June, but the entire 5.4 km track from the Sunway commercial area to the Setia Jaya KTM station and upcoming USJ 7 LRT station is elevated. After two months of free trials, the fare structure was recently released.
Have you tried the BRT in Sunway? What do you think of the Federal Highway proposal?
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