ASIAN MAYORS’
MAYORS’ POLICY DIALOGUE
for the
PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORT IN CITIES
23-
23-24 April 2007,
Kyoto, Japan.
KUCHING CITY TRANSPORT
EXPERIENCE
by
Mr. Chong Ted Tsiung
Mayor of Kuching City South
China SARAWAK
LOCATION & SIZE:
Myanmar Laos
Thailand Philippina • LOCATION:
Ph
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pp
Se
An
Kampucheaam
ina
tn a
Borneo
da
Vie in
Ch
m
Se
an
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ut • Just north of Equator
Se
So
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Pacific Ocean
MALAYSIA
Sulawesi Sea • AREA:
Sarawak
• 124,449 Sq.Km
Papua New Guinea
Indonesia • 37% of Malaysia
Jawa Sea
JAKARTA Banda Sea • POPULATION:
• Arafura
2.2 million
Sea
Indian Ocean
Australia
1
Aerial view of Kuching City
Kuching North
(DBKU)
Kuching South
(MBKS)
2
Kuching City
Population : 510,000 (2005 census)
Projected population for year 2020 : 700,000
Area : 431.5 sq.km
Gazetted open spaces & green areas : 80.42 sq.km
Open spaces & green areas developed
with park facilities : 41.53 sq.km (74 nos.)
Length of roads in the city : 743 km
Length of footpath within park : 25 km
Length of footpath along roadside : 656.32 km
Trees, palms available in open
spaces and roadside : 87,234 nos.
No. of parks with children playground: 28
Overview Transport in Kuching City
Mobility and accessibility
Understanding demand and growth of private
transport
Kuching Urbanization and Impact of transport
- overly dependent on private vehicles
- future of transport system
Public Transport and Public interests
- what is public interest
Public transport and their performances
The para-
para-transits and the decline of public
transport
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Transportation
Bus Station
Rented Car Station
Taxi Station
‘Boat’ Service
Trend of private vehicle in Kuching (1970-2004)
Year Cars1 Growth Rate Motorcycles2 Growth Rate Total Growth
(% p.a) (%p.a.) Rate
1970 8401 9388 17789
1975 15103 15.9 18313 19.0 33416 18.6
1990 29416 18.9 32628 15.6 62044 17.1
1985 53972 16.6 56670 14.7 110642 15.6
1990 73941 7.3 80244 8.3 154185 7.8
1995 101150 7.3 117456 9.2 218606 8.3
2000 137973 7.2 149603 5.4 287576 6.3
2001 152106 10.2 156394 4.5 308500 7.2
2002 166913 9.7 163079 4.2 329992 11.6
2003 180769 8.3 164978 1.16 345747 4.0
2004 197882 9.5 185147 12.0 383029 10.0
Note: A conservative estimated of 47% of Sarawak total cars and
motorcycles for 1970 to 1980 are found in Kuching.
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Trend of Person per Private Vehicle in
Kuching District
Year car population person p/car m/cycle per./per
(Kuching) m/cycle
1970 8401 21500 25.2 9388 22.9
1975 15103 251666 16.6 18313 13.7
1980 29416 262085 8.9 32628 8.03
1985 53972 305452 5.6 56670 5.3
1990 73941 369065 4.9 80244 4.5
1995 101150 430133 4.2 117456 3.6
2000 137973 509374 3.6 149603 3.4
2001 152106 525215 3.4 156394 3.3
2002 166913 545552 3.2 163079 3.3
Kuching – Growth of Vehicles
Year Motorcar Motorcycle Taxis, Hire Buses Goods Other Total
& drive cars vehicle vehicles vehicles
1955 520 582 124 98 273 NA 1597
1960 1534 1123 40 91 461 607 3856
1965 3458 3984 79 152 716 1149 9538
1970 8401 9388 140 222 1432 2346 21929
1975 15103 18313 171 321 2365 3917 40190
1980 29416 32628 312 393 4315 6473 73537
1985 53972 56670 658 473 6211 8546 125958
1990 73941 80244 649 629 8182 14966 178591
1995 101150 117456 106 953 13145 21390 254200
1998 120853 134768 1180 1058 15571 28048 301478
1999 127723 141375 1239 1051 15930 30436 317754
2000 137973 149603 1466 1042 16590 31276 337950
2001 152106 156394 1612 1035 17207 32150 341979
2002 166913 163079 1722 1012 17896 32917 384543
2003 180769 174047
2004 197882 185147
Source: 1955-1980 : Calculated from Sarawak Transport Annual Report as observed
from trend of the city’s ownership in relation to the whole State
1985-2002: Statistics Yearbook, Statistics Department, Sarawak
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Environmental Problem
The Physical Impact
- rapid decline of open spaces for pedestrians
- amount of urban space that is taken up by traffic and
for provision of car parking; most visible form of pollution;
pollution;
- lower quality of environment
- sea of cars crammed in CBD; buildings stacked on
cars
- aesthetic value of the cityscape/townscape lost
The Social Impact
- The competition for the use of road space has often led to
rude and ‘aggressive driving’
driving’ or ‘road rage’
rage’.
- Inequity in distribution of resources for those with private
transport and those without cities get congested with traffic,
traffic,
the city centre become unattractive paving ways for out-
out-of-
of-
town commercial centres or hypermarkets people without
cars - disadvantage
Health Impact
- Least understood and known impact of congestion
information about environmental pollution is undermined
by a glorious presentation of the car in advertisements.
- combustion from motor vehicles is identified as the most
significant contributor to environmental pollution
- Increase number of used tyres has posed a lot of health &
environmental problems such as breeding of mosquitoes
and risks of fire.
- pollutants have been listed by the World Health
Organisation as toxic atmospheric pollutants and have the
ability to cause illness, particularly respiratory problems
among inhabitants
- Other main contributor are the motorcycle (2 stroke
engines) that emit as much as ten times more
hydrocarbon & smoke than the car.
- Increased in number of diesel driven vehicles without
catalytic converters.
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Impact on Urban Environment
Aesthetic beauty of tree lined street…
street…then
Impact on Urban Environment
…and now
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Traffic congestion during school run
Current Policies
Decentralized development around Central Business District
(CBD) of Kuching City to avoid congestion at the CBD area.
Kuching Healthy City concept had earlier influenced the Urban
Planner to incorporated provision of linkages to existing
parks and green through footpath & cycling tracks to promote
healthy lifestyle.
Establish public transport exchange station for an integrated
system
More pedestrian’
pedestrian’s street had been encouraged in the City.
City Council jointly with private companies have been
promoting road safety campaign to school children.
Ramps are constructed in housing estates to discourage
speeding.
Department of Environment (DOE) has been enforcing the
excess emission of black smoke from vehicles & noise
pollution from motorcycle.
Government is in the process providing a more reliable,
efficient and comfortable public transport for Kuching City.
8
Public Parks and Green
Ordinance, 1993 and Public Parks
and Green Ordinance
(Amendment) 2003 which cover
the protection and conservation
of green area
Provision of linkages
to existing parks and
green through footpath
& cycling tracks to
promote healthy
lifestyle.
PHYSICAL
DEVELOPMENT
Promoting Road Safety
Provision of better footpath
Construction of motorcycle
and bicycle lanes
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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Development of New Townships/Commercial Centres
Avoids concentration in the City
Centre
Encourage commercial and
business centres to operate closer
to residential areas
Provision of recreational areas in
all residential development areas
Benefits and Difficulties
An in-
in-depth examination of a city or cities that practices
sustainable transport will assist us to develop and enhance a
visionary field of public transport system and help understand
why such policy is of great importance.
It affords opportunity for those involved in public transport and
and
infrastructure development to grasp the importance of good,
reliable and efficient public transport system;
It will also help to understand the relationship between public
transport and better living environment – a healthy lifestyle.
This concept neatly fits in the Healthy City Program and Vision
for Garden City for Kuching – one that policy makers and the
city fathers are striving for.
Any further delay to take remedial action will inevitably lead to
to
the choking of the city’
city’s main corridors and arterial roads.
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Future Visions
Improvement in Quality of Life by:-
by:-
- reduce growth in the demand for transport especially private
transport;
- reduce the need of car commuting by improving reliability,
availability and quality of public transport;
- reduce travel time and congestion
- ameliorate direct environmental effects of transport – noise,
severance, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emission;
- promote cycling and walking as safe, sustainable and
healthy means of transport;
- improve transport safety
PADESTRIAN MALL
India Street Mall
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