Three contraflow or tidal flow lanes will be activated in Kuala Lumpur from July 3 as an immediate measure to tackle traffic congestion woes in the capital, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.

The contraflow will involve the route from Sungai Besi toll plaza to Besaraya interchange, Jalan Maharajalela to Taman Connaught, and Jalan Ampang from Ampang Point to Jalan Tun Razak.

He said the activation of the three contraflow lanes was decided at the meeting of the technical committee on traffic congestion which he chaired in Putrajaya today.

The contraflow from Sungai Besi toll plaza to the Besraya interchange will stretch along 2.4km. while the one from Jalan Maharajalela to Taman Connaught involves a four-km stretch.

“The contraflow on the two routes is open to all types of vehicles, except motorcycles,” he told a press conference after the meeting.

Loke (above) said the contraflow from Ampang Point to Jalan Tun Razak, on the other hand, will involve a three-km stretch, but specifically for public buses.

“No private vehicles are allowed to use the lane and enforcement action awaits those who violate it,” he said.

The minister said the activation of the contraflow will begin from 6am to 9am and from 5pm to 7pm.

He said the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) will come out with a guideline to ensure the activation of the contraflow lanes will run smoothly and safely.

“There is no time frame fixed for this because we want to see the effectiveness… the contraflow activated in Jalan Cheras, for example, is still active even after 20 years.

“With the activation of the contraflow lanes, it is hoped that traffic congestion can be rduced, but the long-term solution to this problem is still under discussion,” he said.

Public transport

Loke said the discussion, which involves academicians, was being held to find the reasons for traffic congestion and how to encourage people to use public transport.

He said a study carried out by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) found about six million vehicles are on the road in Kuala Lumpur every day.

“At present, the public transport ridership is only one million or 15 percent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Loke said DBKL has also been advised to be stricter in approving applications from contractors to temporarily close certain roads for whatever purpose, including construction.

- Bernama

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