NST, Jan 15, 2008 ... LRT EXTENSIONS: Far too many holes in proposed plan

At the briefing, I raised my concerns over the plan-ned extension of the Kelana Jaya LRT to Subang Jaya and USJ. The government should consider alternatives to an extension of the Kelana Jaya LRT, which uses a costly technology available from a single company.

I also raised my concerns because the proposed routes looked confusing. Nothing on the map indicated the proposed LRT line from Kelana Jaya to USJ and Subang Jaya.

There was only a rail line from Subang Jaya KTM station extending through Subang Jaya, USJ and Putra Heights. What the map did show was the extension from Kelana Jaya LRT to Shah Alam and Klang.

Perhaps the Selangor government wants to extend the LRT to Shah Alam and Klang instead of Subang Jaya and USJ.

This is why it is important for Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd to confirm the route for the proposed LRT extension as soon as possible. Residents of Subang Jaya have the right to know if the LRT is coming to Subang Jaya and USJ, and where the line will go when it is finally built.

The routing of the proposed rail line through residential neighbourhoods of SS14, SS17 and SS18 in Subang Jaya is one example. Residents of these areas are likely to be surprised to see the proposed rail line running along/above Jalan Jengka and the SS14 monorail drain.

Much of Subang Jaya is still a suburban community and the presence of an elevated LRT would have a negative impact on the lifestyle of many residents.

The routing of the rail line through industrial areas of USJ1 and USJ7 raises other concerns. Lee pointed out that this was to accommodate residents' wishes.

However, running public transit through industrial areas will reduce the number of potential passengers. The LRT will be far away from the majority of residents. This will make driving to the LRT station necessary and would do nothing to reduce traffic in Subang Jaya and USJ.

Then, we must consider the passenger volume. The maximum capacity of the Kelana Jaya line trains is 260 passengers (two carriages) or 520 passengers (four carriages).

The Kelana Jaya line is already 40 per cent overloaded. There is simply not enough room for any more passengers during peak hours.

Extending the Kelana Jaya LRT line to Subang Jaya and USJ (or Shah Alam and Klang) will mean less room for passengers from Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.

The federal government and state governments must sit down together when planning public transportation. The confusion and lack of information from this briefing make this even more clear.

Fortunately, there are some positive notes. First, the Seri Petaling LRT will be extended to Puchong Jaya and further into USJ.

Second and more importantly, there is a proposed laluan transit running from KL to Puchong, following Jalan Klang Lama and Jalan Puchong.

This transit lane will open up access to Kuala Lumpur from the south side. It will give more residents the option of using public transportation and fill a major gap in the public transport network of the Klang Valley.