GEORGE TOWN, The Penang state government needs to conduct detailed studies periodically on the proposal to turn several popular roads in George Town into pedestrian zones.

State Local Government, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the proposal needs to take into consideration the infrastructure and public transport in the city so that it can make things convenient for the public.

“If we want to implement it, we need to ensure that infrastructure and public transport can connect those areas so that the public who wish to go there have access, currently there is only buses so that might not be adequate to get to the location of the zone,’ he said about a proposal by transport expert Rosli Azad Khan when contacted by Bernama today.

Rosli had suggested that George Town emulate concepts in tourist areas in Europe by turning several streets into pedestrian and public transport zones.

H’ng said that the Penang City Council had conducted a study on a proposed pedestrian and public tr
ansport zone in several roads of the city several years back but encountered stiff resistance from businesses.

He added that businesses were worried that the proposal might affect them negatively as no tourists or visitors might frequent their shops.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency