Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants public transport operators to improve the quality and efficiency of public transport services in line with the fare increase.

He said consumers expect better services from the higher fares.

"They are more likely to accept the fare increase if they can enjoy a better service in return," he said when asked to comment on the objection raised by various parties over the government's decision to increase the fares.

Speaking to reporters after opening the National Cooperative Day 2009 here, Muhyiddin said, the government decided on the increase after taking into consideration various factors including its effect on the consumers and the industry.

He said that the increase should have been implemented a long time ago following requests by transport operators in the wake of rising operating costs.

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Most believed that the government should direct more attention to the existing public transport services as reducing traffic congestion in the city would contribute to improving the economic well-being of the nation and people.

They also agreed that the key area needing improvement is transportation, and if the transportation woes are resolved, other areas will follow through.

It was also pointed out that there are many agencies involved in the management of public transportation in the city and that there is a need for one autonomous centralised authority to operate the system like what Singapore, Vancouver and Berlin are having.

The bottom line is that Kuala Lumpur needs to get a grip on its transport problem now, and only then would its residents enjoy a better quality of life.

To say that the government is not doing anything is not true as there are plans to construct a new 42km Kota Damansara-Cheras LRT line and to extend the Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT lines. There are also plans to buy more train coaches and stage buses.

But many transport advocates see the whole scenario as overlooking the big picture.

Take the buses, for instance. According to the Association for the Improvement of Mass-Transit in Klang Valley (Transit), the KL bus service is geared towards the peak hours and during the day you can see buses lined up and waiting at the old city areas of KL.

“Areas of congestion in old KL can be found at the bus stop areas in Lebuh Ampang (Medan Tunku), Jalan Tun H.S. Lee and the Kota Raya area where the Metrobuses are treating the area like their parking garage,” Transit adviser Moaz Yusof Ahmad said.

“There is also the Pasar Seni LRT station, the site of the Pasarama Kota, the so-called Klang Bus Stand and the unofficial Seremban bus stand. which block the traffic along the main road,” Moaz said.

These buses wait in the areas for passengers, blocking traffic and polluting the surrounding area with their burning diesel fuel.

According to Moaz, the solution lies in enforcement to keep buses moving, and building a new staging area for urban buses.

He said the DBKL should station officers in the area to monitor the buses, ensuring that each bus should have a maximum 10-minute waiting time before it had to get on the road, whether its passenger load was full or not.

In the long term, a new staging area will have to be built in KL for the urban buses. The best solution is to take advantage of the Puduraya and Plaza Rakyat areas and ensure that there is a hub and staging area for urban buses built there.

All improvement to public transport must consider the needs of the elderly, the young, and the disabled and must be designed to make it easier for people to use public transport. Improved access to public transport means that service can be faster, congestion can be reduced, and people will find it more convenient.

StarMetro is inviting feedback from city folk on ways to solve the traffic problmes in KL. Please send your emails to metro@thestar.com.my. Com-ments can also be sent to the Transit email address at: klangvalley.transit@gmail.com. The Transit website is at http://transitmy.org.

• Your comments and suggestions will be forwarded to the FT Minister.

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Free Transit Zone (FTZ) In Perth

The Free Transit Zone or FTZ (for buses) and the SmartRider Free Transit Zone (for trains) operates within the Perth city boundaries. Passengers can travel within it on any bus or train* for free, as often as they want. Look for this logo on bus stops to identify the FTZ boundaries.