KUCHING: The recent suspension of the hydrogen-powered tram line in Foshan, China, does not directly impact the autonomous rapid transit (ART) project in Sarawak, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil told the Sarawak Legislative Assembly today.
He said the primary reason cited for the suspension in China is low ridership and demand due to the competition from other means of public transport services, such as railway, metro, buses as well as e-hailing.
"The lack of first-mile and last-mile connectivity, such as not having feeder buses or any form of services to take passengers to and from the nearest stations, could have also been the contributing factors," Jerip said during the question and answer session.
He said in the Sarawak context, the ART project is a pioneering initiative, set to be the first reliable mass urban public transportation system in the state which has its own dedicated lanes.
He said this significantly reduces travel time for commuters between Kuching and Kota Samarahan, an area currently facing severe traffic congestion, especially during peak hours.
"The ART is designed to be powered by green hydrogen, a clean and sustainable energy source that can be produced locally, leveraging Sarawak's abundant water resources," Jerip said.
He added this strategic approach also aligns with Sarawak's commitment to sustainable practices and reducing carbon emissions.
"Besides that, the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) will be served with 55 hydrogen feeder buses, which will serve as the first-mile and last-mile connectivity within a 3km radius of each station," he said.
He said the 38 units of ART vehicles will be manufactured and shipped from China in stages to align with the construction of the ART infrastructure and the overall system's completion time.
He said the first two units of the ART vehicles are expected to arrive in Sarawak by the first quarter of 2025 which will be used for test run purposes.
Jerip said the remaining units scheduled for shipment from China will be in batches from 2925 to 2027.
He added that he is unable to state the overall costs of the project due to escalating costs.
Bawang Assan state assemblyman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh asked how the suspended hydrogen-powered tram line in China is going to impact the implementation of the ART project, under the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS).
He also wanted to know when the 38 ART vehicles would arrive in Sarawak.