Transport consultant Rosli Azad Khan says it's high time the authorities mandate that properties around stations be developed to support low-income housing schemes.
Transport consultant Rosli Azad Khan said planning approval from local authorities often favoured luxury apartment developments near stations, which did little to encourage public transport use.
He said it was high time that the ministries of transport and housing and local government collaborate and mandate that properties around stations be developed to support low-income housing schemes.
“Luxury condominiums are not only expensive but also come with extensive facilities, including two parking spaces. Homebuyers with two private vehicles no longer need to rely on public transport.
“Meanwhile, those who use public transport daily cannot afford these luxury apartments near transit stations. This happens because there are no clear policies between ministries or with the developers involved,” Rosli told FMT.
He gave the example of land owned by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd in Kuala Lumpur, such as in Sentul, Brickfields, Bangsar and Tasik Selatan, which had been developed into luxury condominiums, offices and high-value commercial spaces.
“Residents there continue to use private vehicles while those who rely on public transport cannot afford to live near transit stations. They are forced to live further away, creating challenges in accessing the stations,” he said.
On Sunday, transport minister Loke Siew Fook proposed that housing developers reduce the number of parking spaces at new projects near public transport stations to encourage residents to use public transport.
Noor Hashimah Hashim Lim of Universiti Malaya’s faculty of built environment described the proposal as “ideal” although insufficient without efforts to shift public attitudes towards public transport.
“The people’s mindset also needs to change so that public transport is no longer seen as inconvenient or requiring long walks,” Hashimah, a senior lecturer in the faculty’s urban and regional planning department, added.
She said that e-hailing services could help solve the “first- and last-mile” problem often faced by public transport users. “Users can combine public transit with e-hailing to plan smooth, convenient journeys.”
Hashimah said the public should also be educated to compare the cost of owning a vehicle with that of using public transport and e-hailing services.
“With this behavioural change, I believe the country can potentially return to the ‘one car per household’ model of the past, making the policy of ‘one parking space per unit’ more relevant for today’s generation,” she said. - FMT
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