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Penang LRT likely to proceed, might begin in Jan 2020

BayanLepasLRT-EnglishThe approvals from the federal authorities for the RM8.4bil Bayan Lepas light rail transit (LRT) and the massive Penang South Reclamation (PSR) scheme on the southern coast of the island are expected to be obtained before the end of the year.

Sources told The Star that the approvals would be from the Department of Environment, the federal regulator overseeing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the Transport Ministry.

The sources said if everything goes on as scheduled, the reclamation project for the three man-made islands would start early next year.

“The LRT project might begin in January 2020,” they said.

The LRT, together with a monorail, cable cars and water taxis, is part of the state government’s RM46bil Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

It will begin from Komtar in the northeast corner of the island and pass through Jelutong, Gelugor, Bayan Lepas and Penang International Airport before ending at the proposed PSR development comprising three man-made islands totalling 1,800ha near Teluk Kumbar.

It is expected to provide a fast route to the airport and will traverse densely populated residential, commercial and industrial areas.

There are 27 LRT stations along the alignment, with the maintenance depot located on the first island that is to be reclaimed on the island’s south coast.

The alignment also factors in interchanges with future LRT, Sky Cab and monorail lines that are being planned, including one that will cross the channel to connect Gelugor on the island with the Penang Sentral transport hub in mainland Butterworth. The success of the PTMP depends on funding from property development on the PSR scheme.

The Pan Island Link 1 is another component which came to light recently as its Detailed EIA was on display at 10 locations in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Penang until yesterday.

The proposed 19.5km highway links Gurney Drive to the Penang International Airport.

SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, the Project Delivery Partner (PDP), will call for the tender of the LRT and PSR via a Request for Proposal (RFP) exercise early next year, the sources said.

SRS’s role is to supervise the projects until their completion and scale down the cost.

It is learnt that there are currently six or seven companies interested in carrying out the LRT project and the reclamation work for the islands.

“SRS will scale down the cost of the urban rail transport link connecting Komtar and Bayan Lepas, and also consider alternative proposals such as a monorail,” said sources.

It is learnt that Scomi Engineering has recently proposed a monorail project costing about RM6bil, to the state government.

A China company has also proposed to build a LRT link costing less than RM6bil.

On the three man-made islands, it is said that more than RM4bil would be spent on the reclamation.

“The cost is estimated to be over RM4bil because there will be a need to construct a dam and three power plants for the islands.

“One of the islands will be used for indus­trial activities. There will be industrial lots developed for sale to overseas and local investors to generate funds for the urban rail transport link.

“The other two islands will be used for building commercial and residential properties,” sources explained, adding that about RM17bil, which includes the cost for the LRT and PIL 1, has been approved.

On the viability of trams as an alternative to LRT, the sources said the move would require relocating underground sewage infrastructure, power and telecommunications cables.

“They have to be relocated because laying the rails for trams involves a lot of costly road digging. The LRT is constructed on an elevated platform and does not involve digging into the ground.

“Furthermore, the roads in Penang are narrow, so using trams with other vehicles on the same road could cause accidents,” a source added.

SRS Consortium, a 60:20:20 joint venture involving Gamuda Bhd, Loh Phoy Yen Holdings Sdn Bhd and Ideal Property Development Sdn Bhd, was appointed by the Penang government as the PDP for the implementation of the PTMP.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he has written a letter to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on June 29 to seek funds for the LRT project.

“We have yet to receive a reply.

“If the South island reclamation projects are not carried out, the state has no choice but to seek federal funds for the LRT,” he said during his speech at the state assembly yesterday.

Chow had earlier said the major components of PTMP would be fully funded by revenues generated from the sale of reclaimed land of the PSR project.

He said the fully funded nature of the components – the LRT and the PIL 1 – was unlike any other mega infrastructure projects currently being critically reviewed by the Council of Eminent Persons.

The SRS Consortium was concluded to have the best overall proposal among six local and international bidders, which were evaluated based on qualities such as transport master plan proposal, delivery track record, financial standing and funding/business models.

Source: TheStar.com.my

 

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  1. Penang Banker
    August 12th, 2018 at 07:48 | #1

    Again? New rubbish to fool around? What sort of Chow Chow govt?

  2. International Banker
    August 12th, 2018 at 10:16 | #2

    @Penang Banker
    Penang has already been lagging behind and you want to stop all developments ? What’s your agenda ? Some kind of conspiracy behind an unseen hand ?

  3. Three islands
    August 12th, 2018 at 20:07 | #3

    Proceeds from islands to drive trains, transport, Bayan Lepas property will go up…

  4. Alëx C.
    August 13th, 2018 at 03:00 | #4

    It’s a good news for entire Penangites actually.LRT brings a great opportunities to every sector such occupation,housing development,and etc.

  5. Gabriel
    August 13th, 2018 at 10:08 | #5

    Will LRT project on mainland start at the same time as those on the island? There is no mention about the LRT on the mainland on the article. Why is that so?

  6. Syed
    August 13th, 2018 at 10:17 | #6

    Sokongan penuh untuk kerajaan PH and KM Chow untuk membangunkan infrastuktur jalanraya dan pengakutan lain seperti LRT, Monorail, Lebuhraya dsbnya.

  7. bokkua
    August 13th, 2018 at 13:22 | #7

    How come the LRT does not go to Queensbay from The Light? Instead it goes to Pesta, for what???? There will then be no value add to properties in The Light already!!!!!

  8. Fairyland
    August 14th, 2018 at 08:09 | #8

    @bokkua
    Because Pesta is beside Sungai Nibong bus station. That will be more appropriate.

  9. Dumbo
    August 14th, 2018 at 08:17 | #9

    Airport is fixed, transport is not

  10. Penang Banker
    August 14th, 2018 at 10:56 | #10

    Move people, not vehicles !!!

  11. Penang Auntie
    August 14th, 2018 at 19:59 | #11

    Penang very first LRT! Bravo!

  12. Penang Auntie
    August 14th, 2018 at 20:01 | #12

    PTMP bravo!!!

  13. Fatty
    August 14th, 2018 at 20:29 | #13

    Make PG a walking city, reduce car pollution less jam

  14. kat
    August 15th, 2018 at 00:20 | #14

    The sustainability of the LRT is highly questionable. The LRT has a capacity of around 18,000 persons per hour per direction. However, it is projected that by 2030, the LRT would only have a ridership about 2000 persons phpd. This means that ticket prices will not be enough to pay for the running of the LRT. The LRT will likely be loss making and require yearly subsidies to operate. SRS consortium predicts that the LRT will only be able to breakeven after 11 years of operations. But bear in mind, critics have already pointed out that the consortium has been overly optimistic with their ridership estimations in order to justify the LRT, so this number may be an optimistic number and reality might be worst.

    In contrast the original Halcrow PTMP proposed the Airport to Weld Quay/Ferry tram system that was more affordable. The tram would have a capacity of around 4000 persons phpd. Meaning by 2030, the tram would still only be operating at half its capacity and still sufficient for the Island’s needs.

  15. Tourists
    August 16th, 2018 at 07:19 | #15

    Tourists will keep the LRT usage up

  16. Good move
    August 19th, 2018 at 16:00 | #16

    @kat, you so smart to predict even before it was built. Lrt will save a lot of traffic especially for students and workers in Bayan Lepas. We need LRT more than ever. Please make it faster. Those oppose it please move to Kedah where u hv big space to move around. Period.

  17. SS2
    August 19th, 2018 at 17:55 | #17

    @kat

    You must be from Penang Forum. Tram? Seriously? You want drivers share lane with already narrow roads with tram? Or you prefer dedicate lane for tram and make the traffic worse?

  18. kat
    August 21st, 2018 at 00:54 | #18

    @Good move
    I am not the smart person that made the predictions. The numbers are all provided by the original PTMP consultants Halcrow. The Penang govt. themselves has published info on all the ridership info i cited. So if you think operating an 18000 person LRT with only 2000 person ridership in the year 2030 makes economic sense then so be it. I was hoping that there would be someone that supports the SRS transport plan that read the SRS plan could prove me wrong and show me the numbers that proves the LRT is economically viable and how the Penang govt planned to pay for the operations and maintainance of the line. But no luck, i still have not been able to find someone from SRS Consortium supporters side to share this info publicly with me.

    @Tourists
    It would be great if tourists will make up the numbers. Could you provide me the ridership data to support this? Even the Penang govt. does not dispute Halcrow’s original ridership estimates of 2000 person by 2030. So when you say tourists will use the LRT, could you elaborate on the data you used to make that conclusion?

    @SS2
    No i am not from Penang forum. Its not about what i want, but what is the right thing for Penang. I admit, i love trams but if given a choice of LRT or tram, of course i would prefer an LRT. But right now, the numbers don’t add up and i have spent months trying to ask someone to publicly share the numbers to allay my concerns but all i get are insulting comments. It is strange. All the info i have is from the original consultants hired by Penang to conduct the study that have not been disputed by anyone but those supporters of SRS plans are not able to cite a single data or info from the SRS plan to counter my concerns. Is the data so secret that no one wants to share it or has no one actually read and understood the SRS transport plan they are supporting?

  19. Oh nice
    August 21st, 2018 at 12:32 | #19

    @kat
    2000 person ridership in 2030 ? then we don’t need tram or BRT either….

    I wonder why now not more people taking buses? do those noisy NGOs themselves use the buses?

  20. cap-pa-lang
    August 21st, 2018 at 13:59 | #20

    @kat

    I have not read any of the SRS plan or Halcrow report etc. I feel it is a waste of time to oppose/support what is being planned right now as the PH gov is known to make u-turns or talk non-sense as and when it is convenient to them. In other words, it is a political play, I feel.

    It definitely doesn’t make sense to build a system that has a capacity of 18000 pphpd to cater to a demand of 2000 pphpd. Then again, I do not know the details, as in how the system can be tweaked to run at say 40% capacity in the initial stage, and then gradually adding on more carriages to run 100% on the same infra when demand picks up over 10 or 20 years.

    There are many variables over the years to come, such as making car travelling more expensive in order to encourage usage of LRT, increase in PG population, increase in foreign investments etc, that would make this LRT investment make sense.

    I bet there are many who are supporting this LRT scheme now have not thought about the possibility of PG gov making car driving very expensive (eg. charging toll for peak hour road usage like Spore) in order to encourage LRT usage in the future. They want to support LRT, just let them lah. :)))

  21. cap-pa-lang
    August 21st, 2018 at 14:01 | #21

    Like the hokkien saying goes…..”siao siao khoon tu liao”!!!

  22. NGO-2
    August 21st, 2018 at 18:06 | #22

    Easy to talk, just build the LRT but cable car, ferry, maybe wait, humans still prefer land.

  23. GGO
    August 21st, 2018 at 18:07 | #23

    LRT works best

  24. kat
    August 21st, 2018 at 23:11 | #24

    @Oh nice
    FYI, the actual statistic is 2000 pphpd (person per hour per direction) by 2030 which represents a 40% public transit modal share. You can look this up in the Halcrow PTMP report if you are interested. FYI a tram has a capacity of around 4000 pphpd, the LRT around 18000 pphpd.

  25. kat
    August 21st, 2018 at 23:39 | #25

    @cap-pa-lang
    Hi, i am not interested in changing people’s views on what they want to support. But i want to see a healthy exchange of information so that we Penangites can judge and get the best transport plan possible for the sake of the future of Penang.

    FYI, the Halcrow PTMP did include road/toll charges in their original report as a possible source of funding for the PTMP. The original PTMP did suggest charging for entry into congested areas of the city to discourage driving especially in the inner city area. Either that or increase parking fees. The money collected would be put into a transport fund to fund the PTMP. But for obvious reasons the PH govt. ignored this suggestion as it was probably deemed political suicide.

  26. LRT
    August 22nd, 2018 at 23:22 | #26

    Look at SG HK, trains are the secret to successful cities Penang is next

  27. Owner2
    August 23rd, 2018 at 14:10 | #27

    State gov needs to have political will to push the transport master plan forward, just like Singapore, HK and Japan. The plan is to cater for the needs of Penang for the next 50 years.

    Some NGOs obviously have own agenda.

  28. NONGO
    August 23rd, 2018 at 19:15 | #28

    Go forward, not backwards,

  29. Pil Highway
    August 24th, 2018 at 00:11 | #29

    why build mega highway on our little island & to spend RM8,000,000,000 for this highway for the purpose of connectivity to the 3 reclaim island? dont ask me why, i am speechless. penang lang should be smart to choose best plan.

    I support modern smart Tram because it is sustainable & can go up to 100km/hour (Paris & Germany…etc). penang no space?no problem as it can go underpass & even underground like MRT. cheaper to build & maintenance as well…modern tram don’t have hanging electric wiring anymore, not even the ground track. (penang lang don’t play2..we work hard & smart for comparison)
    more importantly, don’t build those UGLY HIGH STRUCTURE in our garden city. aesthetically & economically not vote for LRT which is outdated & expensive system…highway, worst!!
    you prefer staying in Melbourne with tram or Bangkok with mega yet bad traffic mega highway?….Penang lang, you are smart!

  30. Penang lang?
    August 24th, 2018 at 12:54 | #30

    Ya, we are smart, that’s why we need LRT & highway, we have made ourselves clear that we choose PTMP. By the way, I sense some outsider “the non-Penang lang” is trying to pretend he is the Penang lang to mislead public that smart Penangites oppose the plan. Come on lah, outsider don’t represent penangites. Make me laugh only.

  31. why
    August 24th, 2018 at 13:53 | #31

    @Pil Highway

    because we can! @penang lang

  32. No wonder
    August 24th, 2018 at 14:19 | #32

    Nice try “Pil Highway”, you are so cute & naive.

  33. Owner2
    August 24th, 2018 at 14:31 | #33

    @Pil Highway

    Funny. Singapore not a garden city meh?

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