MP wants minister to explain pessimistic MRT3 ridership projections
Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong has been urged to explain why the ridership projection for the MRT3 project was lower than the first two MRT projects.
In a statement, Tanjung Malim MP Chang Lih Kang said Wee had told Parliament that MRT3 was to have a daily ridership of 180,300 when it begins operation between 2028 and 2030.
Chang said this figure was considerably lower than...
Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong has been urged to explain why the ridership projection for the MRT3 project was lower than the first two MRT projects.
In a statement, Tanjung Malim MP Chang Lih Kang said Wee had told Parliament that MRT3 was to have a daily ridership of 180,300 when it begins operation between 2028 and 2030.
Chang said this figure was considerably lower than the initial projections for MRT1 and MRT2, which are 442,000 and 529,000 respectively.
“MRT3 is longer than MRT1 and it will be passing by more stations, but its daily ridership projection is only 40 percent of the MRT1.
“Compared to MRT2, the distance of MRT3 is only 5km shorter and three stations fewer, but its daily ridership projection could not even attain 35 percent of MRT 2, what has gone wrong?” questioned Chang.
Chang said it defies logic that the MRT3 project will have a lower projected initial ridership.
“Therefore, either the minister gave a fake answer in Parliament on the MRT3 projection, or projection for MRT1 and MRT2 were vastly inaccurate.
“If so, the previous government was deceived into building the extravagant MRT1 and MRT2.
“Ever since MRT1 was in full operation in 2017, the highest average daily ridership it achieved was 204,821 passengers in 2019.
“Not only it was nowhere near its target, it was not even half of its projection of 442,000,” said Chang.
Presently, the government is in the process of accepting tender applications for the MRT3 project, which will function as a loop that will connect most of Klang Valley’s existing rail lines.
The RM50.2 billion project is on course to becoming the most expensive rail project in history because it will cost nearly RM1 billion per kilometre.
On Aug 3, Wee revealed the projected ridership for MRT3 to Chang in a written Parliamentary reply.
Apart from the figure, Chang had also asked the Transport Ministry what measures will be taken to ensure that the government does not miss the target.
Wee replied that the government projected MRT3’s initial ridership was projected to be 180,300 at launch and 1 million by 2060.
To ensure that MRT3 meet its ridership target, Wee said MRT3 stations will be located in high-density catchment areas and provide connectivity to ten rail stations on other networks.
He added that the government will include “park and ride” facilities and ensure proper last-mile connectivity.
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