Great Penang Trail

Route for Great Penang Trail to be finalised in a month

CORPORATE bodies which constructed the Jelutong Expressway and Bayan Lepas Coastal Highway will submit a proposed route for the Great Penang Trail project to the working committee set up by the state.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the Penang Development Corpo-ration and developers CP Land-mark Sdn Bhd and IJM Land Bhd would take a month to finalise the proper routes.

He said the routes for the trail, which is actually a dedicated bicycle lane, would be along the expressways right up to the Batu Maung stretch.

“The trail has more or less been finalised but there is a need to make improvements on the road signage and emblems.

“The police are not very happy with the arrows painted on the road as they said it might confuse other road users.

“Currently, we have the painted arrows only along the Esplanade road.

“We will meet soon with the authorities to discuss the best method to overcome the problem,” he told reporters after opening the George Town Bike Rental shop in Weld Quay in Penang yesterday.

The co-owner Jimmy Wong said the shop was set up to realise the dream of a cycling community in Penang.

He added that the the idea to start a bicycle shop was hatched when George Town received its Unesco World Heritage Site listing in 2008.

“There are many ways to protect the environment but let us initiate the effort through cycling today,” said Wong.

“Tourists have approached me asking how to get around the inner city.

“To solve their problem, I have compiled all the details obtained from the Penang Heritage Trust, media and cycling enthusiasts to come out with a four-hour cycling tour guide,” he added.

After the opening by Chow and a short briefing by Tanjung Bunga assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, who is cycling enthusiast himself, over 30 participants took part in a 30-minute cycling trip.

Most of the cyclists were re- porters and photographers who wanted to express their support for co-owner, Chiang Kee Chuan, a photographer from China Press.

-News courtesy of The Star-