Sustainable Development and Worldviews

Dear Yoga, I have read your suggestions on how to improve public mobility in Penang.  There is much to agree with you as your suggestions cohere with much of what is already happening here. For example, your advice that Penang “should start by investing in pedestrian facilities as well as cycling infrastructure,” reflects what the local councils and state government have already been doing for years. Back in 2014, the state government has launched a RM30 million bicycle lane project . Two years ago, through partnership with private sector, the bicycle-sharing services LinkBike was started, with 250 bicycles achieving up to 3,500 ridership per month . The state government has recently initiated RM40 million Ecodeck project that will build lanes that measure 3.5m in width, with 2m and 1.5m designated for bicycles and pedestrians respectively. The current 180 km of cycling lane in Penang will be further expanded to 200 km. In terms of pedestrian walkway, it is estimated ...

It was reported that Yoga Adiwinarto, country director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in Jakarta had recommended the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for Penang in a presentation organised by Think City yesterday. The ITDP specialises in BRT and their institutional mission is to promote the bus system around the world in that their “specific area of expertise is the bus rapid transit (BRT) and we work to spread knowledge about BRT and provide high-level technical assistance to cities pursuing BRT projects in the US and abroad.” Urban planning expert, Diego Silva Ardila has observed that think-tanks like ITDP “have focused on BRT systems as the only plausible solution for urban transport in the developing world, and have not seriously and rigorously analysed the possibilities that rail-based systems have [...]” Ardila further noted that “the think-tanks and their claims have been deemed biased by the fact that they represented the interests of ...

Planning public transportation for a city with population of 10 million, the government of Jakarta knew that they needed more than the TransJakarta Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). That's why they are currently building Light-Rail Transit (LRT) and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). The advocates for buses such as the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) disagreed with rail-based system. They preferred to have the BRT system be expanded with more buses and routes with better services. Jakarta's deputy governor in-charge of transportation, Sutanto Soehodho (former professor of transport modelling at University of Indonesia with doctorate from University of Tokyo) thought that the city required a complementary network of bus-based and rail-based system. On ITDP, Sutanto said , "They have been monitoring our Transjakarta buses for 10 years and they are not getting better. The number of passengers is even declining." Each public transport system has...

My previous article posits seven reasons why Light-Rail Transit (LRT) beats Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) as better public transport for Penang. Lim Mah Hui and Jackie Moey have written responses that I wish to engage as my contribution to the on-going public discourse on this matter.  Regrettably, I can only address the more repeated counterpoints to keep this reply brief. Ambiguous ART The 12th InnoTrans – the world’s largest rail industry fair – was held at Berlin in September last year. There were 3,062 exhibitors from 61 countries, with more than 400 rail-related innovations displayed.  Industrial giants showcase their most advanced, top technology at InnoTrans. And curiously, the ART was not there. CRRC, the maker of ART, had an elaborate booth and launched their track-based train Cetrovo at InnoTrans, but nowhere was the trackless ART seen.  This has prompted internationally-renowned public transport ...

Since the Light-Rail Transit (LRT) project in Penang was first unveiled in 2015, a small group of people have objected against it. Although the objections have been addressed at numerous occasions, they are still being used at various outlet and season. Latest being Lim Mah Hui’s article “ Proposed LRT in Penang is both too early and too late. ” There are two alternatives suggested to replace the LRT plan. First, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and second, the Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART). In this article, I want to point out seven reasons why the LRT is better than BRT and ART. My focus will be on the proposed Bayan Lepas to Komtar LRT alignment and not the comprehensive network covering whole of Penang. Reason 1 – LRT is safer for commuters and road users By being elevated, without sharing the same road with other vehicles, the LRT has no chance of colliding with other vehicles and road users. Having to share road, the BRT and ART have high chances of collision....