With the feasibility study on the tunnel due to be completed by the end of the month (March 2014), a DAP lawmaker said Penang needs pedestrian-friendly towns and an efficient public transport system before building the tunnel.

A government spokesman said if the state can get the tunnel project going without needing federal funds, it should try the same approach to implement an efficient public transport.

"Considering the critical need to prevent the island from slowing down into a traffic gridlock, it seems wise to use land swaps to fund pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and provide capital investment for trams first before funding an undersea tunnel."

The spokesman said in the Penang Transport Masterplan, the tunnel was ranked "low priority" compared with improving roads for pedestrian safety and having a good public transport system.

The spokesman added the masterplan recommended trams between George Town and the airport in Bayan Lepas, and an improved bus system.

A tunnel will only be needed around 2030, she said, although acknowledging that the state also cannot wait until then to start planning a project that will take many years to complete.

The spokesman also referred to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s comment on Sunday (2 March) that the tunnel will serve as an economic catalyst for northern Seberang Prai and reduce traffic congestion on the island.

Lim had also asked why Penang could not have one tunnel when Hong Kong has three, when responding to critics who said that the state does not need the project.

The spokesman said Penang cannot be compared to Hong Kong where there are only 50 cars per 1,000 people.

"Hong Kong has 5,546 buses that are mostly double-deckers, 164 trams and 18,138 taxis.

"In Penang, there are more cars registered than the population. We also have only 320 buses in our public transport system.

"All available data shows that we need to reduce cars on our roads. Therefore we need to make our towns pedestrian-friendly and implement public transport first," she said.

It had been reported that the feasibility study on the proposed 6.5km tunnel by Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd is being paid for with a land swap deal between the company and the Penang government.

Consortium Zenith has been granted a 3.64ha. plot of land on Seri Tanjung Pinang 1 (STP1), worth MYR 305M (USD 93M) by the state government to finance the cost of the initial feasibility studies and detailed design works on the RM6.3-billion Penang undersea tunnel project, which also include a 4.2km bypass road linking the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway and Persiaran Gurney, a 4.6km bypass road linking the expressway and Air Itam, and a 12km highway from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang.

Consortium Zenith inked a contract with the state to build the four projects in October last year. The deal is for the company to fund and build the four projects in exchange for 44.5ha of land in Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 (STP2) from the state government, and a 30-year toll concession on the tunnel.

STP2 involves the reclamation of 307.5ha in the sea off Tanjung Tokong by developer Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O).

The public viewing of the STP2 project exhibition is until this Friday (7 Mar. 2014) at the state Environmental Department office and Penang Municipal Council office in Komtar, and the state library in Seberang Jaya in Penang.

The viewing is also held at the DOE headquarters in Putrajaya and the national library in Kuala Lumpur to allow the public to give feedback on the project.

However, it is learnt that few people were aware of the public viewing for the project.

The spokesman said because the tunnel project itself is possible only if the STP2 project takes off, the study of the tunnel must also take into consideration the kind of development STP2 will bring to the area.

"The STP2 man-made island is expected to bring in a 202,500 population, 11,000 to 14,000 additional cars. Other future developments in the Persiaran Gurney area will also bring more people and vehicles.