Daily crawl: Traffic congestion at the Causeway between Malaysia and Singapore. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: The proposal to have separate lanes for public and workers’ buses at the Causeway to reduce congestion will only work if it is implemented properly with ample supervision from enforcement agencies, say local stakeholders.
Johor Muafakat Bus Operators and Drivers Association chairman R. Thiagarajan said the move could potentially reduce bottlenecks at the bus lanes on the Malaysian side.
“It is a very good plan and I hope the state government will get the necessary support and approval from federal agencies.
“However, the effectiveness of the initiative relies on how well it is implemented. This includes getting the lanes monitored by enforcement agencies to ensure drivers abide by the rule,” he told The Star.
Thiagarajan said the congestion involving buses at both the Causeway and Second Link has worsened recently, with some buses ferrying tourists forced to endure hours-long waits at the Malaysian side of the border.
“The traffic problem must be resolved immediately and we will support any effort from either the state or Federal Government.
“However, they should also involve us in coming out with plans to manage the congestion. We are facing this problem every day and as such, I believe we will be able to give some insights,” he added.
Johor Tourist Guides Association president Jimmy Leong Wei Kong said separate bus lanes should be implemented at both the Causeway and Second Link.
“In fact, I think it is more important for the measure to be carried out at the Second Link, especially as tourists prefer using it compared to the Causeway,” he said.
He added that the more important measure would be to restructure the two Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes in Johor.
“Both the Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar and Bangunan Sultan Iskandar CIQs need to be restructured completely if we are serious about solving the congestion problem.
“Small improvements and maintenance may reduce congestion temporarily but in the long run, the two buildings need to be upgraded,” said Leong.
Johor Indian Muslim Entrepreneurs Association secretary Hussein Ibrahim said while the state government’s plans, that include increasing motorcycle lanes and allowing cars to use lorry lanes on the weekends, could reduce congestion, they would not be effective if immigration counters were left empty.
“The Immigration Department must make sure it has ample manpower at both the Second Link and Causeway, especially on weekends.
“I believe this is one of the main reasons for the slow flow of traffic on the Malaysian side and I hope that this can be resolved first before we proceed to put in place any other plan,” he added.
In a bid to reduce congestion at the Causeway, the Johor government is looking at introducing separate lanes for buses ferrying workers and the public, and allowing cars to use lorry lanes on weekends.
State works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said the Johor Public Transport Corp (PAJ) had conducted a study on ways to improve traffic flow at the Causeway.
