Updated with 2 additional articles!
One of the features of the SPAD and Land Public Transport Commission bills that gained a great deal of attention was the proposal for Area Congestion Pricing in the city centre of KL.
Although the proposal had already been mooted and discussed in the past, and had been incorporated into the KL City 2020 Draft Plan (which is to be gazetted soon) and the Urban Public Transport NKRA Report, many people were surprised to read that the government is still considering Area Congestion Pricing.
The Star Focus section interviewed TRANSIT and others on the issue of Area Congestion Pricing, and the report was published in the Star on 25 April 2010, in the following three articles:
- Paying a price for less congestion in the city (The Star) – additional comments about the proposed Area Congestion Charge
- Handling traffic jams around the world (The Star) – information about how traffic demand management (road pricing) systems work in London and Singapore
- Bumpy road before a smooth drive (The Star) – describes some of the challenges ahead in introducing Area Congestion Pricing – including interviews with Moaz from TRANSIT and traffic planning consultant Goh Bok Yen – who both agree that Area Congestion Pricing is good in principle but we are a long way from bringing public transport to the level where Area Congestion Pricing can be introduced;
- Commuters unwilling to pay unless system improves (The Star) – comments from commuters on the idea of Area Congestion Pricing
- Congestion pricing could be extended to Penang (The Star) – Comments from Penang about the proposed Area Congestion Pricing. Cepat wants better enforcement, while Anil Netto suggests that introducing trams would be a better solution.
TRANSIT Says:
Our position is pretty clear on Area Congestion Pricing – it is a good idea but the public transport system has to improve a lot before we can introduce it. And by improve, we do not just mean increase the investment and build more infrastructure-we mean, reform the system to a service-focused model that encourages people to use public transport.
What do you think of the concept of Area Congestion Pricing? Please comment or vote in the poll below. You can also send an email to klangvalley.transit@gmail.com, or comment via twitter @transitmy or our facebook page TRANSIT-Malaysia.
Thank you!
Transit Malaysia 
One reply on “Will Area Congestion Pricing help the shift to public transport? (Update #1)”
Now is the time for Malaysia to seriously consider congestion pricing as a mean to reduce congestion. Along side the NKRA effort to improvise our public transportation system, the pricing system will further improve traffic flow in the city which in turn will further improve public transport ridership. The revenue received from the pricing system shall enable funding for further development of our city. Congestion pricing has been proven as an effective tool in many other cities in the world. However, integrity and honestly in spending the money earned is the basis of successes of other cities in sustaining and managing the increasing transport demand in the city.