The implementation of congestion charges in Kuala Lumpur is not feasible for the time being as public transport needs to be improved first, transport minister Anthony Loke has said, reported New Straits Times.
“Introducing congestion charges without providing a reliable public transportation alternative will only place additional pressure on the public and negatively impact their socio-economic wellbeing. It is important to note that developed countries that have introduced congestion charges did so only after establishing a sustainable public transport system with good networks and access to services for the people,” Loke said.
The transport minister added that it needs to be in addition to have safe access to special infrastructure for first- and last-mile connectivity, active transport modes to connect public transport stations with main activity centres or focus points, and the implementation of sustainable land use development that is integrated with a transit-oriented development concept.
At present, the transport ministry is focused on strengthening public transportation as an essential service for the people in the Klang Valley and in rural areas, while working with other agencies and ministries for the development of public transport.
Congestion charges had been presented and discussed at the cabinet committee on road safety and traffic congestion meeting for the formulation of strategies for short-, medium- and long-term solutions in addressing worsening traffic congestion, particularly in the Klang Valley, the transport minister said.
The implementation of congestion charges in Kuala Lumpur have been mooted before, in 2023 by natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, though it has been proposed before, as far back as 2015.
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