Penang cannot build its way out of traffic congestion, a transport consultant said, warning that new flyovers and underpasses may only shift the problem rather than solve it.
Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, founder of the MY Mobility Vision think tank, said global evidence shows that building more road space often attracts more cars, a pattern known as induced demand.
“Every new lane is an invitation for more traffic. Without measures to manage demand, such as better public transport, parking controls or peak-hour pricing, congestion will just return in another form,” he told FMT.
His comments come after Penang’s executive councillor for transport, Zairil Khir Johari, defended the state’s plans for large infrastructure projects like the LRT, flyovers and underpasses.
Zairil had dismissed proposals for dedicated bus lanes as unrealistic, saying Penang lacked space. “It’s easy to say let’s have more buses, but unless these buses are flying, they need to use the same roads as well,” he said earlier last week.
However, Wan Agyl said such comments ignore proven solutions.
“Buses may not fly, but they can glide. If given proper lanes, signal priority and enforcement. Cities like Bogota and Seoul have shown that buses can be just as fast and reliable as trains when designed well,” he said.
He supported the LRT as a long-term fix but said it would take years to be completed. “We need a balance, the 50-year solution of rail alongside five-year fixes like buses, ferries, and better traffic management.”
Transport academic Farhan Sadullah also said road projects like flyovers would only offer temporary relief. “Infrastructure is needed, but not by itself. Without integrated, sustainable transport planning and demand control, the city will not escape its congestion problems,” he told FMT.
He said building more roads without changing commuter habits creates a “vicious circle”, each new road quickly fills up with more cars, pushing the system back to gridlock.
Farhan, who is also Universiti Putra Malaysia’s vice-chancellor, agreed that bus lanes need proper planning to avoid worsening traffic, but said buses, trains and roads must work together.
He said that Penang’s LRT plan must be based on clear modelling and cost estimates to avoid being overbuilt or underused.
Earlier last week, Zairil said the Penang government was only interested in projects that improve movement, not prestige. He dismissed critics such as former economist Lim Mah Hui, who said the scaled-down LRT could become a white elephant.
Zairil said the Penang Transport Master Plan is based on the Halcrow Plan of 2013 but is more practical and detailed.
Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow had earlier warned that Penang’s congestion could hurt tourism, investor confidence, and even cost the government political support.
He appealed for federal funding for smaller schemes like the Mount Erskine underpass while major projects such as the LRT and Juru-Sungai Dua elevated highway are built.
Wan Agyl, in response to Chow, said critics are not opposing progress. “The real risk lies not in public debate, but in failing to take visible action now while waiting for big projects to finish,” he said.
