The implementation of a traffic congestion charge in Kuala Lumpur is not a priority for the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) at the moment.

Spad’s newly-minted CEO Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah said this is because of the lack of the necessary public transport infrastructure.

“We need to work closely with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and other agencies. It is something we need to discuss, but not a priority at this stage because we need to put in the infrastructure first.

“We need to improve our rail services, our bus services (and) our taxi services before we can start to implement a congestion charge. It must be done in sequence,” Mohd Azharuddin told reporters today.

He said this when met on the sideline of a forum on urban transport in Kuala Lumpur today, where he was the keynote speaker.

Previously, theSun quoted Kuala Lumpur mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz as saying that DBKL will introduce congestion charges in the city’s business district after the completion of MRT Line 1 in 2017 (photo) .

This follows major cities like London, Milan, Stockholm and Singapore which levy hefty charges upon motorists to discourage them from driving into the city centres during peak hours and to encourage public transport ridership.

However, Amin later clarified that there is no concrete plan to do this as Kuala Lumpur’s public transport infrastructure won’t be ready come 2017.

He also pointed that that it is Spad who has the final say on congestion charges.

Transportation experts have also weighed in, telling Malaysiakini that public transport needs to be improved first before the scheme can be introduced.

Uber solution being sought

On another matter, Azharuddin was evasive when asked whether Spad would go-ahead with its purported plan to blacklist private vehicles offering Uber services – a move that would prevent the road tax of those vehicles from being renewed.

“Their services at the moment are not within our legal framework. That’s where it is.

“But at this stage, we need work to find solutions towards this new technology. The details […] we need to work it out,” he said.

When asked the same question again, he said, “Let us discuss this internally. I hope you’d give me time, it is my (first) 30 days. Let me discuss internally with Spad’s management and members the board,” he said.

He explained that Spad was still looking for a way to regulate Uber services that would work for Uber drivers as well as passengers in addition to improving taxi services.

“We understand the solutions being provided by Uber and GrabCar and the sentiments of the people relating to it.

“At the end of the day, rakyat’s needs come first,” he said.

For the time being however, he said the 145 private cars impounded by Spad for offering illegal taxi services would remain impounded, unless there is a change in the law or until the court disposes of the cases.

Azharuddin has been Spad’s new CEO since Sept 1 succeeding Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal. He was previously the director of Pemandu’s Greater KL/Klang Valley and Urban Public Transport section.

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