‘Benefits of road closure will outweigh temporary setbacks’
KUALA LUMPUR: City Hall should stick to their guns and go ahead with its planned closure of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman to private vehicles, as done the right way, the benefits will outweigh any temporary setbacks.
Md Nazri Noordin, former president of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, said there were many examples of road closures in business districts that led to a boom in commerce.
He cited business districts, such as Oxford Street in London and areas in Brussels and Paris, which were given the “shock treatment”, only to emerge bigger and better.
Closer to home, Nazri said Jonker Street in Melaka, as well as the car-free mornings in KL city centre, were testament to how the system rejuvenated weathered business districts.
“I know it’s an unpopular move. When there is something new, there will be resistance.
“Cars are especially a touchy subject, as given the chance, most Malaysians want to drive and park their cars right outside the shop.
“But City Hall must show gumption and go ahead, with, of course, some tweaking in terms of public transport and infras- tructure,” he said.
Nazri said the authority has been toying with the idea of road closures in the city over the past two to three decades, but had lacked the political will to do so.
He also said while it would be ideal for the authority to consult all stakeholders before getting started, there were occasions that called for “guerilla tactics”, such as implementing a plan beforehand.
He observed that local authorities that invested too much time and resources in consultation drives for such controversial projects end up calling them off as stakeholders never see eye to eye.
Nazri said this was the reason why some local councils pushed ahead with the plans as consultations were considered a major hassle.
He, however, said the modified Jalan TAR public transport services, infrastructure, mechanics, as well as look and feel had to be the outcome of negotiations between the authorities and stakeholders.
“The support of the business community is vital, so if City Hall irons out the traders’ issues with the stalls and their loading and unloading issues, and there is a constant stream of activity and programmes to keep the district vibrant, they are on track,” he said.
Nazri said the only instances of road closures in business districts which failed involved small towns, as older and more established malls in the suburbs dominated the market.
He suggested City Hall began with a hybrid system in Jalan TAR by allowing the street to be plied by taxis and buses.
“But no matter how we do it, what needs to be done, has to be done. We are late to the party as far as building green and sustainable cities go.
“This is just closing a road. In South Korea and New York, they are already repurposing entire expressways into parks and green open spaces.”