From: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg (Othman Ahmad)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: ASEAN Cities
Date: 26 Aug 92 11:12:52 GMT
Organization: Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

ajpbart@adam.adelaide.edu.au (Paul Barter) writes:
: Hello everyone.  Next year I am hoping to start a PhD on the subject of
: ASEAN's large cities. What do you all think of your cities? Are they one
: the right track? I am particularly interested in Transportation in
: Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila and even Bandung, Surabaya
: etc.

Hey, you miss Kota Kinabalu. It has a city status by reason of cleanliness,
and size, not on population. I believe it is the only city without any major
traffic jam in the region.
	It is not on the right track. More and more traffic lights, more and
more one way streets, more and more shopping complexes with car parks, which
all contribute to traffic jams.

traffic lights: causes perpetual traffic jams, and not efficient
	Example: Sandakan. Before traffic light was introduced there was some
traffic jam. Immediately after the lights were installed, the traffic jams
during peak hours become even worse. Utilisation of free time is poor.
	During off-peak hours, there are mini traffic jams caused by the 
safety factor of about 2 seconds in the traffic light system. You lose that
damn 2 seconds. Without any traffic light, a cross junction gives priority to
the main road, not matter what. Traffic safety is low but time utilization
is high. Traffic light is to increase safety, not reduce traffic jam.

One way street: more roads to be used so causing more jams
	If you want to reach a destination, and miss a turn, you must travel
a long way. More roads must be used to reach  a destination, hence more
traffic jams.
	If anything happens on one way streets, we cannot detour to use other
roads. London versus Paris. London do not have highways in the city. You can
detour anywhere along the road. Paris uses highways in the city centre, as a
result very noisy and more traffci jams(not sure).
	One way street is for speed not to reduce traffic jam.

Car parks in buildings: you must queue to get in and out
	We used to have car parks next to shops so do not waste time going round
looking for car parks. KK even have car parks at the back of the shops .
	During peak hours, some car parks on the road side is forbidden, they
become main roads.

Driving and shopping in KK is a pleasure. In Singapore it is a nightmare.
Looking for expensive car parks, and perpetual mini jams, even during off-peak
hours. I drive only during off-peak at 7PM, caused by traffic lights.
	KL is bad in the centre only and highways during peak hours. Of course
Singapore is bigger than KL.
: 
: I have spent a lot of time in Ipoh and some time in KL. Also I have
: visited Jakarta and Singapore briefly. I was struck by the liveliness of
: the streets. I liked the fact that there was always something happening.
: Traffic did seem to be a bit of a nightmare in some places but I don't know
: what the answers are. What do you all think?  I have noticed that Jakarta has
: just started a restricted zone (like Singapore's). In the central business
: district cars must have at least three people. Is that working well?
: Is public transport improving?
: 
: Paul Barter
: University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geography.
: email: ajpbart@adam.adelaide.edu.au

--
Othman bin Ahmad, School of EEE,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2263.
Internet Email: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg
Bitnet Email: eoahmad@ntuvax.bitnet
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean