Good response to park-and-ride plan

THE state government’s plan to provide park-and-ride services has been welcomed by Johor residents.

Businessman Robin Jian, 62, said such a move could potentially reduce worsening congestion and parking problems in Johor Baru.

Jian: The initiative can potentially reduce congestion and parking problems in Johor Baru.

“The state government must start working on improving public transport as soon as possible, especially as the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

“Once the project is completed, we may see worsening of traffic congestion and parking and there will also be an increase in demand for public transport.

“The park-and-rise initiative may help encourage the public to use public transport but it must be done effectively in order for it to work,” said Jian, a Johor Baru restaurant owner.

He said the shuttle buses ferrying passengers between the parking areas and other parts of Johor Baru must be punctual and have a high frequency.

“If the buses are unreliable, the plan will get a lukewarm response and may eventually be shelved after a short time.

“It is also very important to ensure that information about bus schedules and frequency is easily available to the public, which includes tourists.

“There should also be proper bus shelters,” he said, adding that parking fees should also be affordable.

Retiree K. Arumugan, said there was a need to encourage people to use public transport.

Arumugan: There is a need to encourage people to use public transport.

“Most people have their own vehicles these days, some even more than one. We also now have the option of using e-hailing services, which is reliable and convenient.

“As such, many may not feel the need to use public transport. It can be very difficult to encourage the public to use public transport but that is a task which must be undertaken by the state government to minimise congestion in the long run,” he said.

He said the state government must focus on providing reliable public transport system in Johor.

“I notice that buses, including the ones provided by the Johor Public Transport Corporation (PAJ), are mostly empty.

“One of the possible reasons could be because it is not easy for people to find out the schedules and routes of the buses.

“If this could be improved, I think more people may be encouraged to use public transport,” he said.

Cashier Nur Aqilah Ibrahim, 28, said Johor has a long way to go before it could be on par with the public transportation systems in Selangor and Singapore.

“Despite not having services such as the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Johor still has the potential to have an effective public transportation system but it will take time.

“Providing the park-and-ride service is a good start as that is something that suits the needs of many living in Johor Baru who are struggling to get parking and are tired of the heavy congestion,” she said.

Last month, Johor works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh told StarMetro that the state government was looking at providing park-and-ride services in an effort to reduce congestion in Johor Baru.

He said the initiative was still at the planning stage and at least 10 carparks, including those managed by private companies, had been identified.

Mohamad Fazli also said that the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) had also proposed several locations for the carparks and that the shuttle buses would be provided by PAJ.