KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — The diversity of integrated public transportation modes needs to be enhanced to meet the target of 60 per cent ridership in 2030 and 70 per cent by 2040, according to the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan (KLSP) 2040.
It said that this diversity will play a significant role in influencing people to shift from private vehicles to public transportation and mobility vehicles.
“This, in turn, can support urban and socio-economic development while reducing environmental pollution,” according to the document.
According to KLSP 2040, the existing and planned public transportation network covers almost the entire concentration of employment areas, especially in the central areas of Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Jalil, Bangsar, Pusat Bandar Damansara and Wangsa Maju.
Part of this network coverage also includes residential areas such as Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Cheras and Kepong.
“The coverage of 400 metres (m) from rail stations is targeted to increase from 18 per cent to 35 per cent of the total area of Kuala Lumpur by 2040. Similarly, the coverage of 400 m from public transportation routes is targeted to increase from 32 per cent to 70 per cent of the total Kuala Lumpur area in 2040,” said the document.
The plan also identifies the areas of Kepong Lama-Jinjang; Penchala-Menjalara; Setapak; Bangsar; Alam Damai, Cheras; and OUG-Puchong as potential areas for future public transportation networks.
“These areas need to be prioritised to enhance public transportation service coverage, including proposals for new routes (spur line), whether rail routes, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes or other transportation modes, to achieve the goal of diversifying public transportation in Kuala Lumpur by 2040,” it said.
At the same time, supporting facilities such as public buses, feeder buses, park-and-ride facilities, and comfortable and safe pedestrian pathways to public transportation will also be improved.
KLSP 2040 also identifies six main corridors with the potential to serve as BRT corridors in the federal capital, as a transit system between urban and local centres to complement the rail system developed in Kuala Lumpur.
They are Ampang-Kepong; Taman Melawati-Kuala Lumpur City Centre; Ampang-Kuala Lumpur City Centre; Puchong-Kuala Lumpur City Centre; Kerinchi-Alam Damai; and Klang-Kuala Lumpur City Centre.
“Therefore, a detailed BRT corridor design plan needs to be prepared to determine the right of way for bus transit lanes, BRT stops, as well as the design of road intersections and platforms at each stop,” the document read.
Meanwhile, KLSP 2040 also aims for an increase of up to 60 per cent of pedestrians and cyclists by 2040 through the Kuala Lumpur Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan 2019-2028 prepared by Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
“The use of this master plan generally focuses on three areas, namely residential areas, commercial and job centres, and transit stations. This is part of the effort to achieve a 70 per cent diversified public transportation mode in Kuala Lumpur,” it said.
Additionally, the Road User Charging (RUC) scheme will be implemented once a comprehensive and interconnected public transport network is developed.
The scheme aims to reduce traffic congestion by restricting the entry of private vehicles into the city centre through several methods, including RUC on private vehicles and e-hailing that can be integrated with non-traffic information gathering systems such as MySejahtera and other applications.
Gazetted on October 19, 2023, KLSP 2040 now replaces KLSP 2020 as a future planning document for Kuala Lumpur in driving the strategic development of the Malaysian capital indicatively until 2040.
— Bernama
