People over cars: Rethinking highway development for real growth

By Rosli Khan

The West Coast Expressway (WCE), which links Banting to Gelang Patah, is unlikely to drive meaningful growth in smaller towns along its route, despite what Deputy Works Minister Ahmad Maslan claimed recently.

There is very little evidence to suggest that toll highways actually spur local development in smaller towns. In fact, they have often had the opposite effect – bringing about economic stagnation or even decline.

The experience of towns in Perak along the North-South Expressway (NSE) is a telling example.

When the NSE bypassed these communities, it took much of their economic vitality with it, resulting in lower property values, dwindling businesses, job losses and a steady population decline.

Towns like Taiping, Kuala Kangsar, Batu Gajah, Sungkai, Bidor and Tanjung Malim – once bustling stops on traditional routes – have seen their vibrancy fade over the years since the NSE opened.

Toll highways discourage travellers from stopping for leisure or business; they are designed for swift transit between cities, bypassing the local economy altogether.

This suggests that toll highways may not be the best strategy for fostering regional growth.

Rather than investing heavily in toll highways, the government should focus on real transport infrastructure planning aimed at directly connecting communities, reducing travel barriers and providing opportunities to use public transport over private cars.

A better approach would be to develop comprehensive road and rail networks, integrated with commuter services, to support the economies of smaller towns.

Currently, development is heavily concentrated in the Klang Valley, and most infrastructure projects – road and rail – run north to south, once again centred on Kuala Lumpur.

There is a glaring lack of connectivity between the west and east coasts of the peninsula. Vast areas on the eastern seaboard of Pahang and Johor remain isolated, undeveloped and largely inaccessible.

A more thoughtful approach to infrastructure planning would prioritise direct connections between the west and east coasts, connecting small towns to big cities and fostering movement within regions, rather than simply channelling traffic past them.

The belief that highways stimulate local economies is outdated and unsupported by empirical data.

If small towns were connected by rail and if commuter services were made available, the cost of living there would be much lower compared to the expense of big city life.

Instead of relying on toll-based highways, a community-focused road network plan, complementary to rail travel, would better support small-town growth.

Similarly, rather than running a high-speed rail line only from north to south, the government should consider developing a network of double-tracked railways to encourage development across the entire country.

Other countries – Japan, the UK, France, Germany and China – have built thriving economies on the backbone of extensive rail networks across smaller towns and cities, east and west, north and south, supporting both passenger and freight transport.

That is the true meaning of development – an equal opportunity that supports regional growth.

Many transport studies have shown that the per-km costs for both passenger and cargo rail services are much lower than for highways. This means rail fares and cargo charges are lower, benefiting the lower to middle-income groups -the bottom 40% and the middle 40% of households.

Government planners and politicians need to understand these calculations if they are to make informed decisions that benefit 80% of our country’s population.

Toll highways are primarily designed to facilitate inter-urban travel, efficiently moving vehicles – especially freight traffic – between major urban centres while largely ignoring the towns and communities in between.

But when compared on a per tonne/km basis, their service costs are much higher.

By contrast, a well-integrated network of roads and railways could enable direct connections between smaller towns and nearby cities, creating a sustainable foundation for local economic growth.

A comprehensive rail network would make it easier for people to travel within a region, encouraging regular commutes and inter-town business. Making smaller towns more accessible without imposing tolls would drive passenger traffic and boost local businesses.

When communities are connected by affordable and direct transit options, travellers are more likely to stop in these towns, supporting local shops, businesses, restaurants and tourism activities.

This continuous flow of people would be more beneficial to local economies than the toll-driven traffic of expressways that bypass smaller towns.

Rail connectivity, in particular, could be transformative for smaller towns, offering a cost-effective alternative to car travel.

An integrated commuter rail network would allow residents to enjoy a better quality of life – living in quieter, less congested towns while working in nearby cities.

This, in turn, could relieve urban congestion, revive local real estate markets, and stimulate small-town economies by fostering both residential and commercial growth.

Focusing on accessible, integrated transport options would also yield significant environmental benefits, promoting long-term sustainability.

Improved rail and public transit options reduce dependency on individual cars, cutting carbon emissions – an essential consideration in any new infrastructure project today.

By enhancing connectivity without creating financial barriers like tolls, the government could support an economic and environmental landscape that benefits residents, attracts visitors and strengthens small businesses.

In summary, shifting from toll highways to inclusive transport networks which combine rail lines with road networks will create a more connected, economically viable region.

It would stimulate local economies, support sustainable development and build resilient communities.

By focusing on moving people instead of moving cars, the government can enable real, lasting growth in these towns and regions. – Free Malaysia Today

Rosli Khan, a traffic planning consultant, has a masters in transport planning and a PhD in transport economics from Cranfield University in England.