Public transport planning in Johor moving ahead

TRANSIT took note of this article which mentions the plan to build an integrated transport hub in Bandar Seri Alam, Johor, which would include commuter rail, feeder bus and taxi services.

The commuter rail will connect residents of the Eastern Gate of the Iskandar Development Region with JB via the new Kempas Sentral railway hub at Kempas Baru, which is described as being several times bigger than KL Sentral.

New transport hub in Johor (The Star)
Friday March 18, 2011
By ZAZALI MUSA

PASIR GUDANG: An integrated transportation hub would be built in Bandar Seri Alam township here to serve residents in the Eastern Gate Development Zone.

Seri Alam Properties Sdn Bhd acting head of subsidiary Frankie Tan Kiat How said a 3.19ha site near to a private medical centre has been slated for the project.

“The hub will be developed within the next two years and it will improve connectivity from the Eastern Gate to other parts of Iskandar Malaysia,’’ he told StarMetro.

Tan said this after hosting an appreciation lunch for members of Johor Baru media and the company’s corporate clients at Amansari Residences and Resorts.

He added that the hub would encompass train commuter, feeder bus and taxi services with the commuter system to be inter linked with the rail network at the Kempas Sentral.

The latter is part of the KTM Kempas Baru station which would be developed into an integrated transportation hub for Iskandar Malaysia, similar to KL Sentral, but several times bigger.

Eastern Development Gate is one of the five flagship development zones in Iskandar Malaysia – others are the Johor Baru City Centre, Nusajaya, Western Development Gate and Kulai-Senai.

Areas that come under the Eastern Development Gate are Pasir Gudang, Pasir Gudang Port, Pasir Gudang industrial park, Tanjung Langsat Port and Tanjung Langsat industrial complex.

“There is a possibility of a link-up with the Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit system with the transportation hub which will extend from Singapore to Pasir Gudang,’’ said Tan.

TRANSIT Says:

The article goes on to talk about the Bandar Seri Alam township itself.

Now, you have already heard from TRANSIT about the plans for railway upgrades in the Iskandar Development region, including double tracking & electrification of the mainline from Gemas to Johor Baru, as well as the branch lines from Kempas to Tanjong Pelepas and Pasir Gudang (Johor’s main ports).

You have also heard from TRANSIT about the proposed “Komuter Selatan” service (which, from what we are learning, would likely not be owned and operated by KTMB).

It appears from this article that plans for public transport improvements in the Iskandar Development Region are continuing to move ahead. The setting aside of land for the transport hub is one important factor in getting this done.

Now, it is quite likely that, true to Malaysian car-based infrastructure planning, this transport hub will likely be located in a place that is distant from any kind of residential areas and any kind of urban commercial activity and it will not be pedestrian-friendly in any way.

But it will be there – which is better than not having it there. And hopefully, groups like TRANSIT and others will be heard in the planning process to ensure that these areas are pedestrian-friendly and well-planned for the long term.

By the way, the possibility of a second MRT connection to Singapore does exist – although there are many political and legal issues to be ironed out and the planning has not yet taken place, it is physically possible to build the connection.

Of course, let’s allow Singapore to build their Thompson MRT line first, and we can see how things progress from there.