Media Statement by Minister of Transport, Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat

on January 6, 2009

In line with the Government's goal to increase the modal share of public transport in the Klang Valley from 10% to 25% by 2012, efforts have been stepped up to make public rail and bus services more attractive.  

Bus services, in particular, have long suffered from unreliable schedule and long journey time making them a less attractive option for commuters. To overcome this, the Government will introduce several measures, including the Bus Expressway Transit (BET), as part of the National Key Results Area (NKRA) for Urban Public Transport. BET is our first step towards transforming bus services to be attractive and accessible for all commuters.

Towards this end, as the Lead Minister for the improvement of Urban Public Transport NKRA, I am pleased to announce the commencement of the Rapid Bus Expressway Transit (RapidBET) system on January 12, 2010 by RapidKL. BET is our first step towards transforming bus services to be attractive and accessible for all commuters

BET is a system where the buses will utilise less congested highways to link heavily populated areas and the city centre. Naturally, by using the highways, travel time is reduced as the highways are less congested than the normal routes. The service will have limited stops and rely on feeder buses and park-n-ride facilities to ensure sufficient ridership. With BET, travel time is expected to be reduced by about 50 per cent.

For this initial introductory stage, BET will run at 15 to 20-minute intervals during the morning and evening peak hours. Frequency and service periods will be increased at a later stage depending on the demand on each route. Continuous improvements on all aspects, including passenger facilities, will be undertaken by RapidKL to ensure long-term viability of BET. Among the improvements planned include: BET-friendly toll-gates, special feeder services, and route expansion. 

Altogether, four BET routes have been identified and the time savings is between 15 to 70 minutes. The expressways involved are:

1)    Penchala Link (Kota Damansara to Pasar Seni), with an estimated 70 minutes reduction in travelling time (from 120 minutes to 50 minutes).

2)    New Pantai Expressway (Subang Mewah to Pasar Seni), with an estimated 15 minutes reduction in travelling time (from 75minutes to 60 minutes).  

3)    Grand Saga (Bandar Sungai Long to Pasar Seni), with an estimated 35 minutes reduction in travelling time (from 85 minutes to 50 minutes). 

4)    KESAS (Sri Muda to Pasar Seni), with an estimated 15 minutes reduction in travelling time (from 90 minutes to 75 minutes).

For the introductory stage, two routes will be implemented starting next Tuesday. The routes are:  

1.        RapidBET1 - Kota Damansara (U88) to KL Sentral & Pasar Seni via the Penchala Link

2.        RapidBET2 - Bandar Sungai Long  to KL Sentral & Pasar Seni via the Grand Saga Highway

Notices have been put up in all buses along the four routes to inform passengers. Other routes will commence operations in due time. I believe the RapidBET initiative will go some way in making public transport the preferred mode for residents in the Klang Valley and help ease congestion on the roads.

DATO' SRI ONG TEE KEAT

Minister of Transport