KL traffic worse than before pandemic as workers return to office

 

Traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur is currently worse than pre-pandemic levels, traffic data shows.

This comes as more workplaces ease out of work-from-home arrangements, requiring workers to commute to work again, and in-person school has also resumed.

According to the Tomtom Traffic Index, congestion at peak hours in the morning and evenings in the capital has been consistently worse in the past seven days, compared to the same period in 2019.

At 8am today, Kuala Lumpur roads were 74 percent more congested than the average congestion level.

This means what would have been a 30-minute trip in free-flow traffic actually took 52 minutes, which is 22 minutes longer.

The congestion levels this morning were worse than at the same time in 2019 when roads were only 57 percent more congested.

At the same time last year, when remote work and learning were still the norm, the congestion level was only 23 percent more than the average.

The Tomtom Traffic Index records urban congestion in 404 cities worldwide, using data recorded by Tomtom navigation devices, in-dash systems, and the Tomtom mobile application.

The anonymised data is shared publicly, allowing users to view hourly data in real-time for the past seven days or 48 hours, and compare it with 2019 and 2021 levels.

The data is corroborated by the experience of Kuala Lumpur motorists who took to social media this week to lament worsening traffic conditions during their commute to and from work.

Videos and photos uploaded on Twitter showed heavy traffic flows or standstill traffic jams during rush hour.

"Working hours are until 5.30pm or 6pm, and this is the condition at 8pm, where traffic is still at a crawl and people are still not yet home," one social media user said.

"If this is what people face daily, and then they need to leave home early the next day (for work), people can seriously face a mental breakdown," he added.

He also shared a video of an aerial view of traffic congestion, which has since gone viral.

In response, social media users shared their experience of spending hours in traffic to commute to work while another user proposed the government offer tax incentives for employers to allow work from home options for city office workers.

Another widely shared video on Twitter depicted a sea of red lights, said to be a traffic jam at Batu 11, Cheras at 6.40am.

"Those who commute from Kajang to Kuala Lumpur will be stuck in traffic for at least two to four hours per day.

"Do you know how many things can be done in four hours? A lot. From working out, catching up with friends and family, reading, watching movies, etc. I believe everyone who went through this has high stress (levels)," another social media user said.

He added that more people should be allowed to work from home to solve the issue, but feared allowance cuts, as proposed by the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).

The MEF recently said it is reasonable for employers to cut transport allowance for workers who opt to work from home, as they can avoid commuting and the stress that comes with it. - Mkini