Monday, December 27, 2010

Kuala Lumpur - Plan to double public transport

Consolidating public transportation: "KUALA LUMPUR: The National Public Transport Policy Framework (NPTPF) and the Greater Kuala Lumpur – Klang Valley public transport master plan will be ready by September next year, Land Public Transport Commission (LPTC) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar recently said and this would be followed by sub-plans to focus on other regions such as Penang and Johor.

“Currently, the Commission is holding consultations with various stakeholders, users and experts,” said Syed Hamid.

He also said currently, the modal share of public transportation in Greater KL was at 12% and the government is aiming to increase it to 25% by 2012."

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Hong Kong’s Expanding Metro a Model of Development-Funded Transit « The Transport Politic

Hong Kong’s Expanding Metro a Model of Development-Funded Transit « The Transport Politic: "As one of the densest places on earth, it is no surprise that Hong Kong is a transit city, with over 90% of journeys made by public transportation. This concentration ensures high ridership on the city’s extensive MTR metro system. Yet it also increases the cost of line expansions, since building new projects in places that are already packed with people necessitates the creation of tunnels and requires expensive environmental and social remediation.

Hong Kong, however, is going about constructing new projects at a steady pace. At the end of last month, the MTR transit agency approved the construction of the 4.3-mile South Island Line, which will provide service to Aberdeen and other sections of the south side of Hong Kong Island. In addition, the agency will complete a 1.6-mile extension of the Kwun Tong Line to Whampoa. Both will open for operations by 2015, with ground breaking scheduled for next year. The city already has a 2-mile metro extension to the West Island under construction."