The Star Metro May 7, 2011: RESIDENTS WANT MPS TO SOLVE TRAFFIC WOES

Saturday May 7, 2011

Residents want Selayang council to solve traffic woes

By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ
jaya@thestar.com.my

FRUSTRATED over the bad traffic condition daily in their area, Wangsa Permai residents have sent a petition with 1,600 signatures to the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) yesterday.

They want the council to take immediate action by controlling traffic flow in the area.

Wangsa Permai Action Committee pro tem chairman Angus Ng said the traffic jam in the area was bad from 7am to 10am during weekdays and it was usually along Jalan Wangsa 2/6 and Persiaran KIP 2.

He said it sometimes took motorists almost an hour just to travel about 300m.

Serious matter: Zainal (left) listening to complaints from (from right) Khoo and Ng, during the handing over of the signatures collected by the residents.

“The situation is bad as there is only one way out,” said Ng, adding that the problem has been there for the past five years and had led to property prices falling.

“Many shoplots here are vacant and it is difficult to find tenants due to the traffic problems, ” he said.

The population in the area is about 40,000 and there are 8,000 commercial and residential units.

Ng said although MPS had intervened before by providing a one-way traffic flow system that led to Jalan 2/6, the problem had not been resolved.

Kenny Wong, who has been residing in the area for 11 years, said there was also flash floods causing traffic congestion during peak hours near the Shell station.

Another resident Simon Khoo said the congestion made it difficult for ambulances and fire engines to move in an emergency.

MPS president Datuk Zainal Abidin Aala said the council would be sending its enforcement team to direct traffic in the area so that motorists adhered to the one-way system.

“The problem is that motorists are not following the one-way system.

“The enforcement team will look into this as well as issue summonses to those who park their vehicles in an obstructive manner,” he said.

He added that the council would also be building an “island” to direct traffic near the Ixora apartments over the next two months.

“Untill then, our enforcement team will control traffic in the area,” he said