After controversy arose over the lane separators installed on the Kuala Lumpur bicycle lanes, City Hall (DBKL) will re-audit the route within the next 60 days. This is to ensure long-term safety for road users.
Elements in the bicycle lanes that need to be addressed are the bus, pedestrian and bicycle routes which were found to be over-lapping in certain areas, according to a The Sun Daily report. “For example in Jalan Raja Laut, bus routes are also used as pedestrian and bicycle paths … it is viewed as overlapping and is actually dangerous if the routes are used simultaneously,” said Tan Sri Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz, Kuala Lumpur mayor.
Nordin said this during the opening of the World Urban Village in conjunction with the World Urban Forum 9 (WUF9). “We actually have a master plan to improve the 11km bicycle route but first we need to get feedback from the public for re-auditing,” he said.
Nordin added views would be sought from ambassadors and mayors from European countries currently attending WUF9 to suggest improvements to the bicycle lanes. Protests were brought forward over the implementation of the bicycle lanes arose after it was alleged the lane separators used were a danger to other road users, notably motorcyclists.
Further controversy arose after it was incorrectly reported in a local daily that the lanes cost RM4 billion, instead of the estimated RM4 million. Meanwhile, DBKL has painted 140 bicycle bays on the pavement near the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, along Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Pinang.
