THE Putrajaya and the Selangor governments should work towards a better traffic management system following the cancellation of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link), lawmakers said.
They said a more efficient traffic dispersal system must be introduced to alleviate congestion in the Klang Valley.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung said the congestion problem requires the immediate attention of the federal and state governments.
"To overcome the constraints of a car-oriented economy, the government needs to demonstrate a strong and clear commitment. It should propose concrete alternatives to the people.
"The solution is not to construct more highways but to encourage public transport usage," Lee told The Vibes.
Lee said the authorities should also look into improving first- and last-mile connectivity by encouraging the use of buses, bicycles, e-scooters, and (building) more pedestrian walkways.
"Even though the government has spent billions on public transport, the connectivity problem is still severe," he said.
"There is a lack of clear action to solve the problems that have arisen over the years."
He suggested raising the number of buses in the PJ area.
Lee said the bus services by Prasarana and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) are insufficient.
"The frequency has to be improved, routes expanded and service levels upgraded.
"(The buses are) not enough, not user-friendly and inadequate."
He said it must be mandatory for new developments to have bus services.
"No point having bus stops without bus service. There aren't many buses, but we keep approving new projects."
Last week, unity government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said the cabinet had cancelled the PJD Link project.
The communications minister said the decision was made after the concessionaire failed to meet six of the 11 conditions.
Lee advised the Public Works Department (PWD) to quickly release a statement on the status of the concessionaire agreement.
"The people are waiting for the PWD (to respond to the cancellation). It is a matter of public interest."
Improve connectivity, network systems
Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran said the focus must be on efficient public transport for the masses.
He said no amount of highways will solve the traffic problems in the Klang Valley.
"Since Klang Valley has a population of eight million, a conducive traffic plan is crucial.
"What we need is a proper public transport system for PJ, a completely reliable network."
Rajiv suggested a network where commuters could travel from any one point to another by public transport.
"There must be reliability for all services, such as the MRT, LRT, Komuter. Buses must run on time with a decent frequency – 15 minutes tops. It cannot be 30 or 40 minutes."
He said the government should look into rolling out more demand-responsive transit (DRT) vans to cover more zones in the Klang Valley.
It was reported in March that the government had set aside RM50 million to expand special bus lanes and buy 100 DRT vans in the Klang Valley in September. – May 3, 2024.
