Lack of carpooling culture behind road congestion

MORE alternative routes to the city centre will not solve Brunei's road congestion, as there is a lack of carpooling culture, the Minister of Development told State Legislative Council (LegCo) members.

Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said that it was not due to the lack of roads that is causing the congestion, but the city centre being the main destination for all cars and the lack of carpooling culture where one person would often drive one car to a destination.

"Efforts to create roads to the city centre, I believe, will not solve the problem," said the minister in response to Dato Paduka Hj Puasa Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan Tudin's suggestion of creating more alternative routes to the capital at the LegCo meeting on Saturday.

He added that the current road situation in the capital is beyond repair and the amount to fix the problem may come at a higher cost. Instead, the minister proposed a system of circular highways to ensure a flowing traffic.

"If we approve one car per person, are we able to enforce limits to the number of cars entering the capital? This has been done in other larger cities and requires some enforcement. This also requires an efficient public transport system," said the minister.

Further, with regard to building a bridge crossing from the Pandaruan River to Temburong, the minister said that it touches on border issues with neighbouring countries.

"However, the ministry is looking to find ways in constructing the bridge through other various means," said Pehin Dato Hj Abdullah.

In response to Dato Paduka Hj Puasa's suggestion of replacing the current houses with flats to use less land and provide more space, the minister agreed that it is the ministry's intention to build houses that have a higher density and requires less land use.

"This issue is currently being monitored by the ministry and one of its initiatives is the introduction of strata titles so that these flats will become their possession once it is built," he said.

The minister hoped that this will reduce infrastructure costs and further said that the ministry is looking into methods of constructing flats in a fast and cost-effective manner.

The Brunei Times