Updates
1. Rapid Development (The Star) – A new plan for a RapidPenang bus “sub-depot” at Weld Quay is announced.
2. E-ticketing system to curb touting activities (The Star) – an electronic ticketing system will be introduced at Puduraya to curb touting activities. [TRANSIT: Think of the self-service kiosks at airports or the Ticket Vending Machines at KTM and LRT stations (and how well those work)]
3. Pakatan forms shadow parliamentary committees (The Star) – The Pakatan Rakyat has formed committees to discuss major issues in Malaysia. The following names may be relevant:
Transport Ministry
PKR: Datuk Zahrain Mohamed Hashim
PAS: Khalid Abd Samad
DAP: Tan Kok Wai
Federal Territories Ministry
PKR: Wee Choo Keong
PAS: Dr Lo Lo Mohd Ghazali
DAP: Lim Lip Eng
4. Fines on bus firms, too (NST) – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz comments on plans for an integrated database that will help the police, JPJ, DOE and CVLB.
[TRANSIT: Minister Nazri says that the database can be set up almost immediately” which begs the obvious question – why were they waiting for so long????]
5. Mass transit: ‘Sentral’ hubs seldom central (NST) – A comment from TRANSIT on the call by Pakatan ex-EXCO member Nga Kor Ming to build the Ipoh Sentral public transport hub.
6. Putrajaya Corporation To Increase Nadi Putra Buses In Putrajaya (Bernama) – Describes the plans for the expansion of the Nadi Putra bus services in Putrajaya. For more information on Nadi Putra see the Skyscrapercity.com forum here.
7. RapidKL pertimbang rayuan penduduk PPR Laksamana (Utusan) – RapidKL has responded to the complaints from residents of the Laksamana low cost housing (PPR) flats in Cheras, discussed earlier here.
8.YTL Corporation’s proposal for a High Speed Rail link between KL and Singapore has been brought back to life. Read the following articles for more information:
- YTL Hopes For Bullet Train Project To Materialise (Business Times)
- YTL Hopes For Bullet Train Project To Materialise (Bernama)
- YTL: KL-S’pore bullet train project economically viable (Business Times)
An image of the Siemens Velaro Electric Multiple Unit train, proposed by Siemens Corp. for the KL-Singapore High Speed rail is shown below:
Visit this link for a discussion of the High Speed Rail proposal as well as more photos including Valero trains in-service in Germany, Russia, and China.
For general information, the Wikipedia entry on the Siemens Velaro is here.
Transit Malaysia 
3 replies on “Updates #12”
Why not build a bus terminal that doubles up as a depot instead? I think that’s what they do in Singapore where buses are left parking in the interchanges after a day’s service. It THE fastest way of getting buses in position at the start of the next day. Washing is done at the terminal while only repairs require the buses to visit the workshop. Saves land.
I think that there are some plans to integrate the bus terminals and depots or build them close to each other.
There are some other issues that need to be considered here, such as safety and security.
If the threats and violence at KOMTAR and the attempted firebombings at the Sg. Nibong depot have shown anything, it is clear that there is heavy competition for public transport in Penang.
An interchange that is also an open depot may be a security risk.
Moaz
I think it is workable. An open depot/ terminal doesn’t mean 360 deg. fenceless. In fact, most of the perimeter can probably be fenced off without sacrificing pedestrian access.
Pedestrian flow in & out of a terminal can be predicted and directed. For example, if a terminal is situated on one side of an east-west stretch of street, you only need two extra gates at the east and west corners respectively to effectively channel pedestrian traffic.
Likewise, if the location is an open square bounded by streets on the north, south, east and west sides, pedestrian traffic would concentrate at the street intersections and full accessibility can be achieved with just a gate at each of the four corners.
By designing a terminal properly, even the need to jaywalking across the bus bays to reach the waiting area can be eliminated.
Visual continuity is important too as a terminal should not be a fortress. Commuters should be able to see the shops across the street from inside a terminal as this would help “link” the terminal to its surroundings and spur the businesses. Fences like the one used by KTM at Mid Valley Komuter station is strong but allow uninterrupted views in and out of the station.
Btw, have you guys commented on the RapidPenang website? A very good effort. Lovely.