Updates #75

Updates #75

1. Article: 15 flee as bus burns (NST) – Fourteen passengers on a double-deck express bus, including foreigners and children, escaped death when they managed to get off the vehicle before it was engulfed in flames during an incident at Km224.2 of the North-South Expressway, heading south near Pedas here, on Saturday. There was also another collision between buses at the Juru Toll Plaza.

2. Letter: Ladies’ coach: KTM must solve the real problem (NST) – Aafina Zamil of Sg. Petani and Samuel Yesuiah of Seremban comment on the continuing issues surrounding the “Ladies’ Coach” of KTM Komuter.

3. Article: Male invasion (Malay Mail) – more information on the issues surrounding KTM Komuter’s ladies-only coach. According to the article, KTMB is looking for legislation to allow them to level on-the-spot fines to male passengers found in the Women-Only coach. In addition, the Stop-Motion Project is also covering the topic in this posting, KTM Pink Coach, Yay or Nay!

[TRANSIT: As we have said before, KTMB did not conduct proper consultation of passengers before deciding to implement this service. There was no proper reason given and no timeline for how long the service would be kept. KTMB has also made little mention of efforts to improve security and passenger safety both on the trains, at platforms, and at and around stations.

TRANSIT believes that KTMB must show a consistent and visible effort to improve in these areas before they can be permitted to fine male passengers for using the women-only coach.

TRANSIT also believes that SPAD should comment on the Women-Only Coach and ensure that proper public consultation is done before KTMB is allowed to charge fines.]

4. Letter: Public transport: Bandar Tasik Selatan hub lacks facilities for disabled (NST) – L. Lena of Seremban complains that the RapidKL LRT station at Bandar Tasik Selatan has no lifts and the Komuter station has lifts but only one escalator.

5. Article: Cameron Highlands bus crash report ready soon (Malay Mail) – self explanatory

6. Article: MRT and real estate: A union on the right track (Star Property) – Abdul Rahim Rahman writes this article about the effect of the MRT on property prices – including advantages and disadvantages, and positive and negative impacts.

7. Article: Mystery building is Prasarana storehouse (NST) – questions about a mystery building near Salak Selatan were answered.

8. Article: Special fares for funicular train (The Star) – The Tourism Minister has asked the Penang State Government to consider concession fares on the Penang Hill Railway for students, senior citizens & OKU.

The Penang Hill Railway service will restart operations on 19 March, a date slightly pushed back from the recently mentioned 3 March.

9. Article: Exclusive deals for passengers (The Star) – KTMB will continue to offer travel deals at the Matta Fair 2011

10. Article: Bus stop jitters (Malay Mail) – Follow up on the complaints from Selva of Kajang that a bus stop has been built too close to his house, with negative impacts on his privacy and security.