Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research director-general Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon said the MRT was the way forward for transportation.
“It will lead to better improvement in the mass transportation as people move into one system which is more effective, rather than them driving their own car,” he said.
Motorcyclists, he said, could also switch to MRT which was a safer mode of transport.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) road safety and child safety expert Assoc Prof Dr Kulanthayan KC Mani said the MRT would enable private vehicle drivers to use public transport. Fewer cars on the road would mean safer roads, he said.
“Any country with a good railway transport system will always do well in terms of road safety,” he said, citing countries like Japan and in Europe which has a good railway transport system and recorded a low road death rate.
He said a high number of vehicles on the road could lead to more crashes so reducing road congestion and improving public transport would reduce the chances of accidents.
Dr Kulanthayan said that commuters who take the train would also be less stressed out as they would not be caught in a traffic jam.
“Commuters can also do their work while travelling in trains so they are more productive, while students are able to catch up on their reading,” he said.
Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) mechanical engineering technical division committee member Yeoh Jit Shiong, who is a railway transportation specialist, said:
“When Phase Two of the SBK Line is completed by July next year, it will reduce the influx of cars coming from outside of Kuala Lumpur heading into the city.”
The completion of the line, he said, would also see greater connectivity and integration as it would connect to the ERL, LRT, KTM, monorail, feeder buses and KL Sentral.
“It opens up a bigger opportunity and network to everyone. Once it is completed, you can be living in Kajang and go everywhere else that was previously not connected.”
