Putrajaya has been urged to boost public transportation between Johor and Singapore after a drastic toll hike on both sides has made it costly for private vehicles to travel back and forth daily.

 

Senai state assemblyperson Wong Shu Qi commended the Johor government's proposal to have hourly trains by KTM from Johor Bahru Sentral to Woodlands station in Singapore but said more had to be done.

 

Among the measures, said the Johor DAP policy director, is to allow pedestrians to walk across the causeway, a practice that is presently banned.

 

"This will definitely encourage the public to take public transport rather than drive private vehicles that contribute to the traffic congestion on the causeway," she said in a statement today.

 

Furthermore,Wong ( right ) said Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) should also provide free shuttle buses for commuters between the Iskandar customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complex in Johor Bahru and Singapore's Woodlands checkpoint.

 

"The concessionaire should contribute at least RM1 million a month to assist the state government ease traffic congestion at the causeway and encourage more car users to switch to the public transport option," she said.

 

She also urged the government to expedite the the double tracking rail project for the Iskandar Development region which is due to be completed in 2015, adding there is sufficient demand to cover the initial investment.

 

Restore bus shuttle service

Furthermore, Wong also urged a restoration of the Kulai-Tanjung Pagar bus shuttle bus service to facilitate commuters travelling to the railway stations.

 

"With more than 200,000 commuters commuting daily between Malaysia and Singapore, any mass rapid transport service with relatively low costs would be viable as the operator would quickly break even," she said.

 

Wong said this proposals were submitted to the government during a meeting between Johor state assemblypersons, the state government and the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad). 

 

On Thursday, Singapore announced the toll for a round trip between Malaysia and the city state at the Woodlands CIQ complex will be raised from S$1.20 (RM3.04) to S$6.50 (RM16.46) effective from the beginning of next month.

 

This follows Malaysia hiking its toll rate for a round trip at the Iskandar CIQ from RM2.90 to RM16.50 in August.