Clampdown will bring city traffic to a halt
Buses heading into many parts of Kuala Lumpur will be barred from entering the city during the Bersih rally.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Traffic on Kuala Lumpur’s roads will grind to a halt in a 22-hour public transport clampdown tomorrow, the day of the Bersih 2.0 rally.
A statement by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) said that express buses arriving in the city at three major bus statious would be diverted elsewhere.
City buses will also have their routes cut short on that day, with at least 14 major roads affected.
The order to do so was given by the police, the statement added.
The transit clampdown will start at 12.01am and end at 10pm tomorrow. Details on these changes are as follows:
Express buses:
Hentian Duta will receive Puduraya and Pekeliling-bound express buses (except KL-Seremban route).
TBS will receive Hentian Putra (PWTC) and KL-Seremban-bound express buses.
City buses will stop at these train stations:
- Titiwangsa LRT: Jalan Semarak, Jalan Setapak/Genting Kelang, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Kuching and Jalan Duta;
- Dato Keramat LRT: Jalan Ampang;
- Maluri LRT: Jalan Kampung Pandan, Jalan Cheras; and
- KL Sentral Monorail: Federal Highway routes (using Jalan Bangsar, Jalan Travers, Jalan Tun Sambanthan) and Jalan Damansara.
It is expected that the route changes will severely increase the level of traffic congestion in the city tomorrow.
The following roads, some of the most heavily-travelled in KL, will be affected:
- Hentian Duta: Mahameru Highway;
- TBS: Middle Ring Road 2;
- Titiwangsa LRT: Jalan Tun Razak;
- Dato Keramat: Jalan Datuk Keramat and Jalan Jelatek;
- Maluri: Jalan Cheras; and
- KL Sentral Monorail: Jalan Tun Sambanthan.
A large number of commuters, who rely on buses to ferry them around the city, may also be left stranded at these locations.
Temporary adjustments
Public transport expert, The Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit (Transit), was not impressed by the route changes.
“SPAD could (have) taken the extra effort to work with every stage bus operator to determine the exact routes affected, and display the temporary adjustments on its website, rather than lumping the route detours according to the names of the roads that buses use,” a post from its website read.
Transit was also puzzled over the heavy-handed police action in barring buses from going into the city. It said that public transport vehicles should be allowed to travel on one lane to ferry people out of the city on July 9.
