After more than two years of research and development, a transportation plan designed to ease traffic congestion in Phnom Penh has been completed and will be soon submitted to the government for approval, officials said yesterday.

Long Dimanche, spokesperson of Phnom Penh City Hall, told the Post that the analysis takes in to account population growth, urbanisation and the expected increase in the level of traffic congestion over the next two decades. Developed in conjunction with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the plan considers the options available to reduce the number of vehicles in the city, including more busses, a tramway, a subway and even a sky train, Dimanche said.

“We will not be able to deal with traffic congestion issue by that time if we have not developed a master plan from now,” he said.

“The master plan will be used as a guideline to develop the city and the possibility of realisation of the plan will depend on actual demand and possible funding,” he added.

The drafted “Transportation master plan for 2035” will be revealed to public by JICA on August 27 before it is submitted to the government for approval.

Ear Chariya, Independent Road Safety Specialist, said he hoped the government would focus on providing more public transportation services rather than building more roads as it is less expensive and would not ease long-term congestion.

“We need more public transportation services, such as buses and tram ways or a subway,” he said.

Aya Miura, Project Formulation Advisor for Investment Promotion and Economic Development Section of JICA, confirmed in an email yesterday that the plan is expected to be finalised this year and is a more comprehensive 2001 version.