Lack of planning blamed for traffic congestion near Likas schools

LACK of strategic planning and high volume of cars during peak hours are main reasons behind ongoing traffic congestion around 12 schools and kindergartens in Likas, said Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Arifin Asgali.

“The traffic congestion that happens in school areas around Likas is caused by vehicles driven by parents who send and pick up their children in schools. There are not less than 12 secondary and primary schools and kindergartens around the Likas area.

“Congestion happens before 7am and when school is out in the afternoon,” said Arifin, who stood in for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal for the winding up speech at the state assembly yesterday.

“Congestion happens because the development of schools did not have strategic planning about vehicle movements in the school compound and outside of the school. As a result, the public road in front of the school is made as an area to disembark and pick up children in school by parents,” he explained to Likas assemblyman Tan Lee Fatt.

Arifin said the cooperation of school management, education ministry and parents would be needed for the few steps that could be taken to reduce the traffic congestion around schools.

He said this included the school management review on vehicle entry and exit points and the identification of a conducive layby for parents to drop off and pick up their children, and establishing a pick-up schedule at a waiting area.

“At the same time, Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) has also taken several initiatives to reduce traffic congestion at schools by building a safe and conducive roofed pedestrian walking space at schools like All Saints and St Agnes that connect school areas with the outside areas such as the Likas Plaza parking space to encourage parents to drop off and pick up their children there,” said Arifin.

The assistant minister told Tan that DBKK also had plans to upgrade the public transportation system in Kota Kinabalu City as specified in the Kota Kinabalu City Public Transport Master Plan, which had not been implemented due to lack of funding.