MRT network can ease Brunei traffic woes
Monday, July 21, 2008
WITH the recent spike in fuel prices and to ease traffic congestion which is a concern among most road users, some were of the opinion that introducing a railway system wouldn't be a bad idea altogether.
A civil servant, who wished to be known as Hjh Siti support sthe idea of having trains as means of mass transport.
"If there were trains such as the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) train like in Singapore, it would probably be easier and cheaper to get around," she said.
The 27-year-old suggested that the train network should link up all the "hot-spots" in Brunei such as the capital, Gadong and Kiulap to all other areas in the Brunei-Muara District, such as Lambak and Sengkurong.
She added that the system should be tested in this district first since the authority in charge of the project would have to "experiment and evaluate" the results and feedback of the system and decide whether it would be sustainable to expand the system throughout the country.
"Brunei is a small country, but I know that to build that kind of (infrastructure) will take a long time, so they have to start on a small scale to see if it works," Hjh Siti said.
However she said that the train system should have been introduced earlier, before the majority of the population started buying cars to accommodate their everyday travel needs. Now that nearly every family have a car to go around in, they would be less likely to use any form of public transport since they were so used to the luxury of private vehicles, she pointed out.
An employee in a private sector was skeptical of the idea of a railway system that would cover the short distances. However Joseph Lim believed that the prospect of having a railway system which connected all four districts would be more feasible as well as providing benefits to the nation's economy.
"It would make life so much easier for people like me, who have to go from Belait to Bandar (Seri Begawan) a lot," he said.
Lim, a 31-year-old engineer acknowledged that there are many others who faced a similar situation and would be grateful if such a system was in place.
He also mentioned that the system could not only be used for commuters, but also for families who wished to travel to places such as Temburong, and Kuala Belait.
"There's going to be a lot of new attractions in Belait," he said referring to Brunei Shell Petroleum's (BSP) recent plans to build a new community complex near the site of the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre, which included a cineplex and bowling alley.
Lim stated that such a railway network would encourage more locals to stay inside the country during holidays, and in turn, benefit the economy since the money spent would circulate in Brunei.
Hj Mohd Kamsul Shah, a university student who was back in Brunei for the summer vacation, did not agree that introducing a train network in the Sultanate would be a good idea. "I don't really think it'll work here because everyone is so used to their cars for transport," he said. "I don't think they will give up that luxury so easily."
For the 22-year-old student, cars were "far more advantageous" since these vehicles could be used to go to the required destinations directly.
"If you have a car, you can go where ever you want and you can bring along your friends and luggage more easily than if you have to go by train," he added.
"Besides, there are other hi-tech solutions like hydrogen cars or hybrids if those people really want to save money on gas."
The Brunei Times
A civil servant, who wished to be known as Hjh Siti support sthe idea of having trains as means of mass transport.
"If there were trains such as the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) train like in Singapore, it would probably be easier and cheaper to get around," she said.
The 27-year-old suggested that the train network should link up all the "hot-spots" in Brunei such as the capital, Gadong and Kiulap to all other areas in the Brunei-Muara District, such as Lambak and Sengkurong.
She added that the system should be tested in this district first since the authority in charge of the project would have to "experiment and evaluate" the results and feedback of the system and decide whether it would be sustainable to expand the system throughout the country.
"Brunei is a small country, but I know that to build that kind of (infrastructure) will take a long time, so they have to start on a small scale to see if it works," Hjh Siti said.
However she said that the train system should have been introduced earlier, before the majority of the population started buying cars to accommodate their everyday travel needs. Now that nearly every family have a car to go around in, they would be less likely to use any form of public transport since they were so used to the luxury of private vehicles, she pointed out.
An employee in a private sector was skeptical of the idea of a railway system that would cover the short distances. However Joseph Lim believed that the prospect of having a railway system which connected all four districts would be more feasible as well as providing benefits to the nation's economy.
"It would make life so much easier for people like me, who have to go from Belait to Bandar (Seri Begawan) a lot," he said.
Lim, a 31-year-old engineer acknowledged that there are many others who faced a similar situation and would be grateful if such a system was in place.
He also mentioned that the system could not only be used for commuters, but also for families who wished to travel to places such as Temburong, and Kuala Belait.
"There's going to be a lot of new attractions in Belait," he said referring to Brunei Shell Petroleum's (BSP) recent plans to build a new community complex near the site of the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre, which included a cineplex and bowling alley.
Lim stated that such a railway network would encourage more locals to stay inside the country during holidays, and in turn, benefit the economy since the money spent would circulate in Brunei.
Hj Mohd Kamsul Shah, a university student who was back in Brunei for the summer vacation, did not agree that introducing a train network in the Sultanate would be a good idea. "I don't really think it'll work here because everyone is so used to their cars for transport," he said. "I don't think they will give up that luxury so easily."
For the 22-year-old student, cars were "far more advantageous" since these vehicles could be used to go to the required destinations directly.
"If you have a car, you can go where ever you want and you can bring along your friends and luggage more easily than if you have to go by train," he added.
"Besides, there are other hi-tech solutions like hydrogen cars or hybrids if those people really want to save money on gas."
The Brunei Times
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