KK Bus Rapid Transit study ready by Sept

KOTA KINABALU: The study on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for greater Kota Kinabalu is expected to be completed by September this year, disclosed Minister in the Prime Minister¡¦s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

He said that Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and Kota Kinabalu City Hall were currently doing the study to find the best alignment for the BRT.

“The BRT will travel on special lanes dedicated to these buses either on the road or overhead so passengers will no longer be stuck in the traffic jam. These buses would also be cleaner and more comfortable.

“I would expect the study to be completed by September so once that is done it is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when it will be implemented,” he said, adding that the BRT project would cost about RM2 billion and be implemented in two phases.

Speaking to reporters after officiating at the Skim Latihan 1Malaysia (SL1M) open interview at UMS here yesterday, Abdul Rahman said that several proposals had been made to come up with the most suitable public transport system for Kota Kinabalu.

One of it is the LRT but this requires a population of more than one million people because the volume of passengers it transports is huge, he said, adding that Kota Kinabalu does not have the required number of passengers.

“So the other best one is the BRT and as the Minister in charge of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), I have brought this matter up with the Cabinet and Economic Council on several occasions,” he said.