Transport experts pour cold water on Langkawi LRT proposal

The Kedah government is exploring plans to develop an LRT line from the Kuah ferry terminal to Pantai Cenang in Langkawi before expanding it to other tourist destinations on the island in stages. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Transport experts have poured cold water on the proposal to build a light rail transit (LRT) line in Langkawi, citing potential environmental concerns and low ridership.

Transport consultant Wan Agyl Wan Hassan likened installing an LRT system in Langkawi to “shooting themselves in the foot”, as it could harm the island’s environment, a key factor that attracts tourists to the tax-free island.

“Langkawi island is an (environmentally) sensitive area. We want to make sure we preserve whatever Langkawi has. There will be an environmental impact when it comes to the construction of the LRT because it’s a huge construction project.

“The development of the LRT itself will deter tourists from coming to Langkawi for perhaps two or three years and will undoubtedly impact the economy,” he told FMT.

Last week, Kedah executive councillor Haim Hilman Abdullah said Permodalan Kedah Bhd had signed a memorandum of understanding with Korean firm Royal Eco Train Development (RETD) to carry out a study on the proposal over the next six months.

The state government plans to develop the LRT line from the Kuah ferry terminal to Pantai Cenang before expanding it to other tourist destinations on the island in stages.

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the Kedah government has yet to submit an application to the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) on the construction of an LRT line.

Transport consultant Rosli Khan said the seasonal nature of tourism in Langkawi made the project unfeasible due to low demand and ridership.

He said an LRT system was better suited for cities with populations of 5 to 6 million, where the demand for people travelling into the city centre can reach as high as 5,000 to 6,000 per hour in one direction.

“LRT is designed for a large volume of passengers moving at reasonably high speeds in rapid succession, (operating at) a regular frequency of five or six-minute intervals.

“In Langkawi, such a high volume of passengers does not exist. Langkawi is a tourist destination, therefore it does not experience mass movement of people for an LRT to serve or carry on a regular basis,” he said.

To minimise the potential environmental impact, Wan Agyl suggested exploring bike-sharing services, a bus rail transit (BRT) line, or a tram system.

He also recommended van-sharing services or a hop-on hop-off bus service as possible alternatives.

He said it would be more sensible to build an LRT system in high-congestion areas like Penang island.

Meanwhile, Rosli said Langkawi would be better served by a fleet of minibuses, which could cover the entire island at a lower cost compared to regular buses.

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Kedah/Perlis chapter said it was waiting for further information on the proposal, but welcomed any initiative that could attract investors and boost tourism.

However, its chairman, P Subramaniam, also expressed concerns about the environmental impact, and agreed that a bus service would be a better option.