Pulau Pinang | Penang Tourism & Travel Guide | Georgetown UNESCO World Heritage City | Penang Hotel Resort | Penang Food Paradise

Himanshu Bhatt, The Sun Daily.

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 29, 2011): Trishaw riders in Penang will be paid RM100 each from the state if they provide services for the car-free day programme being introduced in George Town.

“The trishaw riders will only be paid the RM100 if they attend fully George Town Car Free Day every Sunday from 7am to 5pm in selected streets in Unesco World Heritage City of George Town,” Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

Each trishaw rider will have to be present at an allotted gathering point on each Sunday for a specified period of time to qualify for the RM20 weekly payment.

“A bonus of RM20 will paid if they attend every George Town Car Free Day for the month. This will ensure that there are trishaws in the allotted areas for tourists and that the genuine trishaw riders benefit,” he added.

The state government had planned three months ago with the Penang Island Municipal Council to establish the Car Free Day every Sunday in selected streets in the city beginning on Dec 11.

Touted to be the first in Malaysia, George Town’s Car Free Day is to promote a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle as well as help trishaw riders boost their income.

The weekly affair will cover some 835 meters of road, including parts of Beach Street, Church Street, Church Street Ghaut and Bishop Street which will closed to motorised vehicles.

“No vehicles or motorcycles will be allowed in these Car Free Day zones, only bicycles and trishaws,” Lim said.

“This will assist trishaw riders in drawing an additional source of income,” he stressed.

To ensure that only genuine trishaw riders benefit, the state government proposed that they must register with the Penang Tourism Department first. [News link]

Posted by admin on November 30, 2011 under Tourism News.