Melaka Tests 2.3km-Long Traffic-Free Zone Around Banda Hilir

Last Saturday, the Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB) started the trial run of its car-free zone evening by blocking off some of the roads near Banda Hilir from 6 p.m. to midnight.
With the cooperation of all parties, The trial run went without a hitch, Bernama reported. Traffic from the closed outer ring roads was well controlled, especially around the Stadthuys Building, so there was no congestion in the affected areas.  Following the trial run, the state government will conduct an extensive study on the traffic flow around the area, according to Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

He told Bernama after serving as the master of ceremonies at the state-level National Youth Day Celebration here today, "We will improve this from time to time as we review public complaints or feedback throughout the implementation of the vehicle-free zone trial run."

Ab Rauf also claimed that after the trial run, a survey revealed that the majority of local small- and medium-sized business owners and traders praised the decision because it had benefited them.
He stated that the road closures allowed traders to conduct their business along the pavement or outside their premises, allowing them to increase their income.

"Generally the traders that we met yesterday gave a positive response because they were able to open their shops until late at night and the road closure allowed tourists to stop by their shops," he said.
The vehicle-free zone will be implemented every Saturday from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Jalan Istana, Jalan Mahkamah, Jalan Gereja, Lorong Gereja, Jalan Laksamana, and parts of Jalan Tun Khalil Yaakob and Jalan Merdeka are all closed for the 2.3-kilometer stretch.

For the record, the vehicle-free initiative is happening all over the world, including on major streets in cities like San Francisco and New York, but happening at the largest scale in several European cities.
Birmingham, Paris, Oslo, and Amsterdam, to name a few, are among the world's major cities that have embraced the car-free revolution as a part of their sustainable mobility plan.