MIRI: There has been a sharp decrease in traffic volumes in major cities in the State since the implementation of the movement control order (MCO), said Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
The data collected from Kuching, Bintulu and Miri showed traffic volumes reduced by between 50 to 60 percent.
Lee said he had been monitoring the traffic volumes from those junctions which were installed with smart traffic lights using artificial intelligence (AI).
“The data gathered from Miri showed a huge decrease in traffic volumes since MCO was enforced on March 18 compared to the previous day,” he said yesterday.
For example in Pujut 7, the traffic volume registered a 51.64 percent decrease, Bulan Sabit – 61 percent, Parkson – 56.4 percent, Hilltop – 56 percent, Piasau – 53.9 percent and Permaisuri – 60 percent decrease.
“We have also gathered similar data from our Kuching smart traffic lights on the number of vehicles passing through daily,” he said.
Lee said the data collected would provide the ministry with a general indication of the number of people going into the city areas and was useful in monitoring people and traffic movement during the MCO.
“We will be monitoring the vehicles volume daily and share the information with our Sarawak Disaster Management Committee,” he explained.
