With the emerging opportunities in the transportation sector, there have been rapid changes in urban transport in Southeast Asia (SEA) in recent decades. While some countries have done exceptionally well in terms of huge amounts of investments (both upcoming and ongoing) on urban mobility, the rest are still trying to figure out their way up the ladder. Overall, the urban transport sector in SEA countries provides a promising outlook for developers, governments as well as citizens with emphasis on the development and integration of the public transport. Southeast Asia Infrastructure provides a brief account of policy and project developments in the urban transport sector in SEA in 2019…
Cambodia
To improve transportation facilities, the Cambodian government is seeking finance assistance from Japan to develop mega projects in the transport sector. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has sought Japanese investment for the construction of Phnom Penh’s automated guideway transport (AGT) system. The AGT system is expected to cost $800 million. In addition to AGT, the government also plans to set up a metro train system and a monorail in the capital city. Currently, the government is working on a policy to encourage imports of high quality electric buses in order to increase the pace of transport development in the country.
Indonesia
In a bid to provide a boost to the urban transport sector, Indonesia launched its first metro rail transit (MRT) system on March 24, 2019. The first phase of the planned MRT system spans 16 km and serves 13 stations from Lebak Bulus to Bundaran HI, and connects South Jakarta to Central Jakarta. These are economical and energy efficient, and require less space than private transportation, reducing congestion in busy and high density urban areas.
Further, in October 2019, the governments of the UK, Switzerland and Germany announced plans to provide $23.1 million as grants for the development of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in five Indonesian cities. The BRTs will be developed in Bandung, Batam, Makassar, Pekanbaru, and Semarang by 2022. These cities have been selected by the Indonesian government as pilot cities under the Sustainable Urban Transport Programme Indonesia (SUTRI NAMA) and the Indonesian Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Development (INDOBUS) initiatives.
Besides, the Jabodetabek Transportation Management Agency or Badan Pengelola Transportasi Jabodetabek has planned to deploy 2,000 electric buses in Jakarta by 2020. These buses will replace buses fuelled by fossil fuels. To support this initiative, Jakarta Passenger Transportation has entered into a partnership with PT Mobil Anak Bangsa to procure 500 electric buses in 2020.
Malaysia
The Malaysian government has undertaken a number of measures to increase the pace of development of the transportation sector by reviving stalled rail projects and launching the National Transport Policy [NTP], 2019-30.
The 640 km East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) linking Port Klang to Kota Baru is among the rail projects that have been revived by the government after being suspended for renegotiation. The government has slashed the project cost to RM 44 billion, 34 per cent lower as compared to the previous price tag. The ECRL is expected to create a spillover effect for local port operators and potentially open up corridors for property development once it is completed in December 2026.
Besides the ECRL, Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT-3), Mass Rapid Transit 2 (MRT-2) and Klang Valley Double Track phase 2 (KVDT-2) projects have also been resumed following the government’s move to cut their cost.
The NTP charts a new direction to develop an efficient, integrated and secure transport system. It consists of five focus areas and 23 specific strategies to provide smart connectivity and an easy and safe transportation system to meet the needs of the people.The NTP 2019-30 is expected to improve logistics infrastructure and the interconnectivity of the road, rail, air and maritime sectors to help Malaysia realise its target as a regional distribution hub.
Myanmar
Myanmar plans to give a great push to its transportation sector through the implementation of a sky train project in the commercial city of Yangon starting 2020. The project, estimated to cost about $1 billion, is expected to be completed by 2027.The project is also called the Yangon Urban Mass Rapid Transit. It will connect the eastern and western parts of Yangon.
The proposed route for the 18 km long sky train will pass through the Hlaing Tharyar, Mayangone, South Okkalapa and Yankin townships. It is claimed to be based on the standard models of Thailand and Indonesia. The implementing agency for the project is the Ministry of Transport and Communica-tions. The period for survey and design phase of the project is expected to last until 2022 to ensure minimal impact on the environment and the community,
Philippines
According to reports, the Philippines loses $24 billion every year from traffic congestion in the capital city, Metro Manila. The government has been trying to encourage the use of public transportation by expanding its light rail transit (LRT) system.
In September 2019, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) commenced the piling works of LRT-1 Cavite Extension, Phase 1, in Manila, marking the beginning of the construction of the extension. The construction of Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2021. Cavite Extension will be developed at an estimated investment of $1.36 billion. The extension is expected to increase LRT-1’s daily ridership from 500,000 passengers to 800,000 passengers. The extension is expected to be fully operational in 2022.
Recently, in December 2019, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $200 million loan to finance several infrastructure projects in the Philippines, including Manila LRT-4. These projects are being executed under the national government’s Build, Build, Build programme.
Besides, the Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority has also approved the Davao Public Transport Modernisation Project to develop a high-priority bus system in Davao. Through this project, interconnected bus services will be prioritised along the 137 km long core network and 489 km long feeder bus routes. The project will be executed by the Philippines Department of Transportation between 2020 and 2023 at an estimated investment of PhP 18.66 billion.
Singapore
With a number of ongoing initiatives and projects, Singapore has managed to top the Urban Mobility Readiness Index 2019. In May 2019, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) released the Land Transport Master Plan [LTMP] 2040, outlining Singapore’s long-term goal to improve its land transport system by 2040. The LTMP 2040 aims to make the transport network in Singapore faster, more convenient and better connected by improving the bus network and expanding the rail network to minimise travel time for passengers.
In December 2019, Singapore’s LTA awarded an SGD 201.1 million contract to P China Railway 11 Bureau Group (Singapore Branch) to execute the civil works of the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit Jurong Region Line. The scope of work includes the construction of two stations and 1.15 km of viaducts. The works are expected to commence in 2020 and are scheduled to be completed by 2026.
In November 2019, the LTA announced plans to deploy 60 electric buses by the first half of 2020. The deployment of the buses is in line with the LTA’s vision to deploy only clean energy buses by 2040. In addition, the LTA has announced plans to deploy one electric bus retrofitted from a diesel bus along with these buses.
Thailand
According to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), the Thailand government is committed to spend about THB 640 billion in 2020 on major public transport projects, including new electric rail routes in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima.
The government is looking forward to calling bids for the Western Orange Line and Southern Purple Line. The construction of the MRT’s Orange Line between the Thailand Cultural Centre and Bang Khun Non is expected to cost about THB 200 billion, while the Purple Line extension from Tao Poon to Rat Burana will cost about THB 100 billion.
Moreover, the government is also planning to introduce trams in the public transportation system. It has planned a 41.7 km tram system in Phuket at an estimated cost of THB 34 billion, a tram line in Chiang Mai at THB 30 billion and Nakhon Ratchasima at THB 8 billion. According to the MRTA, the Phuket tram project is being reviewed by the MRTA’s board. The tender process for the tram system is expected to start early in 2020.
Vietnam
The Vietnam Ministry of Transport has been working towards enhancing environmentally sustainable transport in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
In August 2019, it announced plans to install 300 bus shelters in 17 districts around Hanoi and Son Tây to increase ridership on suburban bus routes as well as reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. The bus shelters will be powered by solar energy, equipped with Wi-Fi and provide real-time updates about buses. The suburban bus routes account for 57 per cent of the total bus network in the city.
Later, in October 2019, the transport ministry announced plans to develop 16 new metro lines in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi City. In Hanoi, eight metro lines, spanning 305 km, are planned to be developed by 2035, including extension of existing lines or lines currently under construction. In Ho Chi Minh City, eight metro lines spanning 173 km, three tramways and one monorail line, spanning 57 km, are planned to be developed.
Further, the Vietnamese conglomerate VinGroup’s new electric bus company, called VinBus, is planning to introduce 3,000 electric buses by March 2020 in five major cities – Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Can Tho. VinBus has secured an investment of VND 1 trillion and the construction of a factory is under way to deliver the first bus soon.
