Najib launches country’s first bus rapid transit project

SUBANG JAYA: The Government's efforts to further improve public transportation received another boost with the launch of the country's first bus rapid transit (BRT) project by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak Saturday.

The BRT comprises of buses traveling either on a network of dedicated bus lanes or on purpose-built elevated lanes, complementing the My Rapid Transit (MRT)currently under construction in the Klang Valley. Speaking at the inauguration of the project, Najib said the government and related authorities would continue to find viable solutions to address the Klang Valley's traffic congestion. “The usage of public transport is still low at 17 percent and our target is to push it up to 40 percent by 2020. This will help us achieve the target and we hope that with this project, the urban transport landscape in this country will be something we can be proud of,” said Najib.

The first BRT service, expected to start in the second quarter of 2013, will allow the 500,000 residents in Bandar Sunway and Subang to connect more easily to existing light-rail transit (LRT) systems which currently does not serve their neighbourhoods. The BRT-Sunway line, covering over 6km via 7stations, will connect Bandar Sunway and Subang commuters with the Kelana Jaya LRT Extension Line at USJ6 and with the KTMB Setia Jaya station near the Federal highway.

The BRT initiative is part of the Government Transformation Programme(GTP) Urban Public Transport National Key Result Area (NKRA), which aims to encourage higher public transport ridership. The project is being built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Government owned Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad and Sunway Berhad. Prasarana chairman Tan Sri Ismail said the total cost of the project was still being worked out and that the public would be invited to provide feedback on the proposed alignment of the BRT route once it was ready.

Land Public Transport Commission Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the Sunway line was the first of 12 BRT lines proposed for the Klang Valley.

-thestar online.