KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA -The increase in the number of public transport users has led to capacity problems, but transport operators are taking steps to address these.

The increase in world oil prices and the subsequent hike in prices at the pump increased the number of people using public transport practically overnight.

This development caught public transport operators by surprise.

After hearing numerous complaints from users, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi paid a surprise visit to the LRT and KTM Komuter lines to gain firsthand knowledge of the crowded trains, delayed services and lack of connectivity often faced by commuters in the city.

The operators were caught by surprise, but assured the prime minister and commuters that steps were being taken to meet capacity problems.
Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL), the operator of the Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT lines, said it would overcome the capacity issue when new trains arrive next year.

"We're prepared to overcome the issue although it's a bit late," RapidKL communications general manager Ebi Azly Abdullah said.

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (SPNB), which owns the Ampang and Kelana Jaya LRT lines, had acquired 22 sets of four-car trains for the Kelana Jaya LRT line two years ago.

The new trains will start operating by the end of next year.

Passenger capacity is expected to double from 160,000 passengers to more than 300,000 passengers per day.

Ebi said all the trains were operating at optimum frequency and capacity.

Trains service both lines every two minutes during peak hours and every five minutes during off-peak hours.

"The logical extension would be to add to the capacity, which is what we're doing with the new train purchase," Ebi told the New Straits Times yesterday.

He added that the "ridership" for the Ampang line could be improved. "We're hoping that more people will use the Ampang line to travel to Puchong, Bukit Jalil, Cheras and Ampang."

In earlier reports, SPNB had confirmed that there were plans to extend the Ampang and Kelana Jaya LRT lines, while the new Kota Damansara-Cheras line was still in the planning stage.

Several new urban rail lines are also being planned, including for the KL Monorail.

A new LRT station at Sri Rampai will be opened late next year.

However, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd blamed the crowded trains on the lack of commuter sets.

Calling the shortage critical, KTM said in a statement that a major overhaul of 50 sets of its trains had been carried out since the end of last year.

The commuter service has been badly affected by the overhaul and the less-than-reliable conditions of the trains.

KTM is now operating a minimum of 27 sets of trains daily, about half the optimum number needed.

As a long-term measure, KTM expects to increase passenger capacity by 10 per cent by redesigning the interior of the trains.