Incorporate micromobility solutions into Malaysia’s urban landscape

 

I was suitably impressed by PJ Selatan MP Lee Chean Chung’s statement to the press outside Parliament on July 10 on the subject of micromobility vehicles.

Micromobility vehicles consist of a range of small, lightweight devices used for travel over short distances. They include folded bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters, electric skateboards, shared bicycle fleets, and electric pedal-assisted bicycles.

Mobility issues 

In raising the issue, Lee provided insight into a mobility solution often overlooked by our policymakers, local governments, authorities and urban planners in favour of the more traditional methods of moving around.

For instance, in the Selangor legislative assembly earlier this month, a member of the state government still talked about constructing seven new highways, including the PJD Link.

Needless to say, those solutions are archaic and far removed from current realities.

With urban areas across the country grappling with severe traffic congestion, poor air quality and mobility issues, commuters, particularly the younger generation, are moving away from an over-reliance on private cars and highways for short journeys.

To them, being stuck in traffic jams is no longer bearable. The high cost of owning and maintaining a car is another deterrent, and the idea of using fossil fuels is no longer attractive. Besides, congestion charges and higher parking fees are being formulated to further deter car use.

And yet, our politicians are still talking about building toll highways.

As the urban young population is projected to surge in the coming decades, micromobility offers a promising solution to alleviate congestion.

Their use will also cut carbon emissions and enhance connectivity. It will, in particular, address first- and last-mile connectivity challenges faced by public transport users, more than half of whom are youngsters.

Using public transport in combination with micromobility vehicles is a new trend among the current generation, who dream of a greener urban environment without pollution.

Even Malaysia’s Transportation Master Plan, which aims to boost public transport’s modal share to 40% by 2030, discusses the need for significant infrastructure investment to enable micromobility.

Slow government 

Unfortunately, as mentioned by Lee, our government has been slow to adopt micromobility, both in its policy initiatives and in adapting and re-designing the physical urban landscapes to accommodate these smaller urban vehicles.

To be innovative, the following must happen:

•  The regulatory roles of the federal and local government in catering for micromobility solutions must be clearly defined.
•  The federal government must establish a legal framework to standardise micromobility regulations across all government agencies, and allow for their adoption by local governments.
•  The federal government must also provide financial incentives for users and operators, such as subsidies and tax rebates, similar to diesel subsidies.

On the physical side, our urban landscapes require the local authorities to look into three specific areas:

•  The construction of safe, properly designed, weatherproof and dedicated lanes for micromobility vehicles on either roads or pavements in all towns and cities, with speed limits kept below 30 km/h, and with measures to prevent their misuse by motorcycles.
•  The conversion of car parks into reserved parking areas for micromobility vehicles at strategic locations to allow access to the MRT, LRT, KTMB and bus stops and stations.
•  The offer of grants to allow local municipalities to develop and redesign micromobility-friendly infrastructure, aligning with Miros’s Shared Micromobility Reference Guide 2023.

These proposals aim to address key challenges in adopting micromobility in Malaysia, which include:

•  the high humidity and rainfall may require covered lanes for micromobility vehicles, similar to pedestrians pavements, and
•  the high initial setup and ongoing maintenance costs for potential users.

New ecosystems 

Existing micromobility guidelines already set out best practices which the government can adopt when it comes to setting vehicle specification requirements and general guidelines.

Local authorities, meanwhile, could handle specific matters like lane design and standardised specifications, lane separation, pavement use, barriers against motorcycles, covered areas, points of conflicts with other vehicles and maximum speeds.

In Australia, the National Transport Commission has recommended common micromobility legislation across all states and territories, with each state having jurisdiction over local regulations, including insurance coverage.

Japan has adopted a similar approach in terms of micromobility rules and regulations.

The global micromobility market is expected to grow exponentially, with the potential to reach US$500 billion by 2030.

This growth has already yielded significant benefits in Europe and East Asia, with cities like Copenhagen, Madrid, Tokyo and Seoul, extensively integrating micromobility into their official transportation ecosystems.

Micromobility vehicles are no longer thought of as being only for recreational use.

They are increasingly viewed as a viable means of commuting and have the potential to reduce urban traffic congestion and resolve the first- and last-mile conundrum faced by public transport users.

Ultimately, micromobility is capable of becoming a key part of a sustainable and accessible urban public transport ecosystem. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.