Mark your calendars boys and girls – the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System which is slated to be up and running in Iskandar Malaysia (IM) by 2020 will provide that connectivity oomph desired by most home seekers. Join Minah Hartanah as she lists down the three benefits of the BRT system.
By Minah Hartanah
The BRT system will cover 90 per cent of the total area of Iskandar Malaysia upon completion and will be developed in 3 phases or lines: JB – Skudai, JB – Johor Jaya and JB – Iskandar Puteri.
As exciting as it is, many people have not grasped the importance of having a BRT network in place. Those who are misinformed over the BRT’s concept might scoff at the idea of travelling by bus: “Isn’t it slow and tedious and how will it help me beat traffic anyway?”
BRT 101
Although it might not seem as sexy as the MRT or the High Speed Rail, the BRT is a new breed of land transportation infrastructure altogether as it provides for faster and more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. This is made possible by providing separate transit lanes or dedicated bus-only roads. The BRT is also usually integrated with other transportation routes and features enhanced stations that are convenient, comfortable, secure and weather protected.
There are various spillover effects too – as revealed by EMBARQ’s (a global non-profit organisation under the World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities 2013 research), the BRT has reduced travel time by millions of hours for commuters worldwide. What takes the cake, however, is that the study concludes that BRT improves quality of life in cities in at least four key ways: saving travel time, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and local air pollutant emissions, improving traffic safety, and increasing physical activity.
Read the full report here: https://goo.gl/1hLLhv
How will the BRT add value for home buyers? We count the ways:
#1 Less pollution and better living environment
As the prime areas in Klang Valley become increasingly congested, a growing number of Malaysians are looking for alternative cities to live in. Millenials and young families especially are seeking better work-life balance and many aspire to settle down and establish their roots in neighbourhoods that support and nurtures a healthy living environment. This explains the rising appeal of the greenfield development of Iskandar Malaysia, which is seeing an emergence of well-planned townships offering affordable residential options.
One such product on many aspiring home buyers’ radar is Taman Seri Austin in Tebrau, which promises an idealistic and brochure-worthy neighbourhood fringed with lakes, parks and lush greeneries. This residential enclave will soon receive major brownie points – there will be a Tebrau BRT station located nearby the township.
#2 Lower cost of transportation
The BRT kills a few birds with one stone –The three BRT lines enables residents to move around the city easily at a much lower cost. One can even forgo owning a car – say goodbye to petrol and car servicing costs!
#3 Enhanced connectivity to Singapore
Besides that, the BRT will be connected to Singapore’s transport system via the Bukit Chagar interchange station. It will also be integrated with the Rail Transit System (RTS) upon its completion in 2022, further improving linkages between JB and Singapore. This will be a boon for those working in Singapore; enduring the mind-numbing, hours-long traffic gridlock on the Causeway will be a thing of the past! An added perk – extra snooze time translates to improved work productivity.
This integrated transport system could be THE holy grail for young, working professionals as it makes it possible for one to work in CBDs while living out in more family-conducive and financial-friendly neighbourhoods.
What are you waiting for, fellow Gen-Y comrades? Start ‘fishing’ for properties along the BRT nodes and routes – your wallet and mental health will thank you
