Klang residents want the council to improve public amenities such as bus stops, phone booths and taxi stands

TRANSIT took note of this interesting article detailing residents complaints about bus stops, phone booths and taxi stands in central Klang.

TRANSIT has always had a soft spot for Klang. We still do not understand why the local government & Selangor Government have allowed the “Royal Town” to become so run-down and disappointing.

The construction of the overhead flyover, the closure of taxi stands and the North Klang bus terminal (forcing buses to either use Klang Sentral or crowd along Jalan POS Bahru), and the construction of a “racetrack” ring road around Klang are all examples of how the town has been pulled apart by “helpful” construction projects that have actually made the city less enjoyable for the people who live there.

FIX ’EM : Klang residents want the council to improve public amenities such as bus stops, phone booths and taxi stands (Streets – NST, 19 August 2011)

KLANG: Residents of Klang are unhappy with how public amenities are being maintained.

Among the amenities are bus stops, telephone booths, as well as taxi stands. There are even complaints that road signs are in need of repair.

Also, residents have urged the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) to upgrade and install safety features at bus stops.

A senior citizen, Papamah Chinapan, 64, who lives in Sentosa, said she has been using public transport for six years.

She said the P1 bus stop in Jalan Pos Baharu opposite the Mydin Hypermarket has been seriously vandalised and its roof broken. Even in this condition for many years, the damaged bus stop has yet to be repaired.

“When it rains, we have to take shelter at the Mydin Hypermarket.

“And due to this, some of us miss the bus because the buses do not stop in front of Mydin. Rain or shine, the bus drivers stop at the bus stop.

“This makes it difficult for elderly people like me,” Papamah added.

Further, when it rains the stench is unbearable due to the rubbish strewn about, she said.

Papamah also noted that after 10pm, no passengers will wait at the bus stop because they fear for their safety, though the bus service is until 11pm.

“This is because of faulty lights which have not been replaced for months,” she said.

Taxi driver Ismail Jantan, 58, who has been driving for three years, also complained about the state of the P1 bus stop in Jalan Pos Baharu.

He noted that it has been so long since the bus stop was upgraded that even the phones in the telephone booths have stopped working.

“What will happen if someone needs to make a phone call in an emergency, only to find that none of the phone booths is in working order?” he asked.

“One of my passengers once approached me and asked to use my cell phone because all four of the public phone booths were not functioning,” he recalled.

Ismail mentioned that some phone booths have been covered with illegal advertisements.

He also complained about the traffic flow. All buses are requested to use the Klang central bus terminal in Jalan Meru but some bus operators refuse to do so.

Instead, he claims, they stop at the P1 bus stop.

One of the bus operators, who declined to give his name, said the reason most bus operators do not use the Klang central bus terminal was because the majority of passengers find the bus station too far from town.

He said that is why passengers prefer to stop at the P1 bus stop since it is nearer to town.

He added that bus stops in Jalan Tengku Kelana, where SM Convent Klang is located, have badly designed shelters.

Bus stops, especially those with roofs, should be fully covered, equipped with lights and have comfortable seats, he said.

He also urged the MPK to be stricter with those who vandalise public property, as well as those who put up illegal ads.

Anisha Nair, 26, a graphic artist who sometimes uses public transport, finds the bus stops have poor designs because when the weather is hot commuters find it uncomfortable to stand or sit and it becomes worse when it rains.

She said most of the lights at the bus stops are faulty while other bus stops do not even have lights.

Anisha added that MPK should look into upgrading the public amenities for the safety and convenience of the public.

A spokesman of MPK said the public only have themselves to blame for the damage of public facilities, saying the council is aware of the situation and has allocated a budget for repairs.

He noted: “We have tried our best to rectify the situation. In fact, we also issue fines to those who litter or vandalise public facilities,” he said.

He urged the public to work together with MPK to stop irresponsible people from putting up illegal advertisements, banners or stickers.

TRANSIT Says:

As we have said before, Klang has now become a “pass-through” town – a place that people see from a road or highway, but never actually experience.

And why would they want to experience it? Broken down roads, unsafe bus stops, traffic congestion – and worst of all, a municipal council and local government that do not care.

The public have only themselves to blame? Shame on anyone in government who would think such a thing. Did the public build Klang Sentral? Did the public turn Klang into a “pass-through” town? Did the public neglect important amenities like bus stops & taxi stands?

TRANSIT once expressed to SPAD that our hopes that they could dedicate themselves to resolving the public transport issues in Klang.

Our reasoning was that if SPAD could solve the issues in Klang (perhaps by introducing Bus Rapid Transit along the major corridors) then Klang would experience an urban renewal and SPAD would get a reputation for being able to “get things done”.

Reducing the number of cars traveling on the Federal Highway, KESAS Highway, NKVE and through Klang, and making public transport reliable … would certainly help things.

Sadly nothing happened. But we still entertain hopes that SPAD will do something.

Occasionally we entertain hopes that the Sultan of Selangor would speak positively about his hope for improvements to Klang to make it a shining example of what a “Royal Town” should look like.

After all, it worked to get a shuttle bus in Petaling Jaya.