SOV lane soon at causeway

[Wendell Cox]

Shall we say, this border crossing is not terribly secure. Having walked
across the Causeway from Singapore, I managed to get through accidentally
without stopping at customs, and went back to try to figure out how to do it
right. Finally went through the process, but it would have been much easier
just to avoid the whole thing. Fumes from the cycles were unbelievable...
Los Angeles air was never so bad.
--
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----- Original Message -----
From: SUSTRAN Network Secretariat <sustran at po.jaring.my>
To: <malaysia-transport at egroups.com>; <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 2:33 AM
Subject: [sustran] re: SOV lane soon at causeway


It was reported today in the Star newspaper here (see excerpts of the
article below) that the Causeway between Malaysia and Singapore is to have
a special lane for single-occupant cars.  I am not sure this is such a good
idea.

As most of us know, any 'toolbox' of sustainable/ equitable/ people-centred
transport policies includes attempts to DISCOURAGE single-occupant vehicles
(SOVs). Yet here is a case where SOVs are apparently going to be ENCOURAGED
since they will soon be getting a much faster ride through the checkpoint
than other categories of vehicles.

IMHO by encouraging more people to travel alone in cars this plan can only
lead to MORE traffic and hence more congestion, not less, on the causeway
and on the streets of Johor Baru and Singapore. I wonder if the Customs
Department has consulted the Johor and Singaporean transport authorities on
their plan?

The plan seems to be based on trying to increase the throughput of vehicles
- but surely it is the throughput of PEOPLE and GOODS that is important
here rather than vehicles.

Paul

------------------------------------------
The Star
Wednesday, February 9, 2000

New lane soon at causeway

By Mazwin Nik Anis

JOHOR BARU: The state Customs Department will introduce a special lane for
cars with only the driver to ease congestion at the causeway.

Its director Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid said the lane, to be opened by the
middle of the year, was one of the measures the department was implementing
to provide efficient service to the public.

....

"We believe the facility will help ease traffic flow as Customs and
Immigration clearance for one person takes less than a minute.

...
Abdul Rahman said the department had introduced various facilities to
ensure smooth flow of traffic at the Causeway, including a "green lane" for
cars and "golden service" processing for tour buses.

However, he conceded that traffic was still heavy as visitors, especially
Singaporeans, prefer to use the causeway due to its proximity to the city
centre.

Almost 100,000 travellers, both locals and foreigners, use the causeway
daily.

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and the Pacific (the SUSTRAN Network)
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