Rectify black spot at KM15
Saturday January 8, 2011
I AM a frequent visitor to Cameron Highlands and am saddened by the Dec 20 bus tragedy in which 28 people died, the worst in the country.
The horrific tour bus accident along KM15 of the Simpang Pulai-Cameron Highlands road set many authorities enquiring into the licensing conditions for tour operators and commercial vehicles, the competency of the driver and whether the company complied with the conditions of the permit.
There were calls for a Royal Commission to examine and seek to determine, among other things, whether there was any defect in road design, so it could be improved on.
That stretch of road is a well-known "black spot". The crash occured just 500m from where an express bus plunged into a ravine on Dec 23, 2004, killing 15 people and injuring 17 others.
I would like to point out another "killer stretch", at KM27, a dangerous spot with sharp bends that needs to be rectified before any accident happen.
In view of the coming Chinese New Year and with more tourists planning their holidays up there, prevention is better than cure.
Subsequent to the 2004 crash, the stretch where it occurred was straightened and other road improvements made, but nothing was done at this black spot bend at KM15.
Coming down from Cameron Highlands, this black spot begins on a relatively straight road but with a very steep gradient and continues into a very sharp bend.
Following the 2004 accident, concrete dividers were erected, but these had not reduced the number of accidents on that spot.
This black spot can be improved upon by widening the sharp bend, similar to what was done following the 2004 horror. The authorities should improve this stretch to prevent more lives being lost.
On Dec 27, I saw workers at the black spot putting a fresh layer of paint on the concrete divider even though parts of it were yet to be replaced.
Mohd Al Asri Hasan
Parit, Perak.
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