Motoring along highways is generally safe as the roads are usually in good condition and there are a few lanes so that overtaking can be done safely. The traffic flow is also safely separated on two sides, reducing dangers of collision.
However, accidents can still occur and sometimes with tragic outcomes. According to a Bernama report, a couple were killed and their 3 children injured when their vehicle crashed at KM274 of the East Coast Highway 2 (LPT2) near the Cheneh toll plaza exit at around 4 pm yesterday. The family, who reside in Kejang, Selangor, was said to be travelling to Kg. Gelugor, Kerteh, Terengganu after dropping one of their sons off in Kuantan.
For the 2 million motorists expected to be travelling along highways during this Hari Raya period, toll charges would have been expected to be part of the travelling cost. However, on four days during the festive period, they won’t have to pay any toll, or pay a discounted rate.
Announced by the Prime Minister this afternoon, the special concession will be on April 30/May 1 and May 7/May 8. It will be applicable to all classes of vehicles. The total amount of toll that will not be collected is estimated at RM77.11 million.
The full exemption of toll will be on the PLUS and LTP (East Coast) highways, Penang Bridge, and Second Link while other highways will have 30% or 50% discount.
Opened in 2011, the LATAR highway from Templer’s Park in Selangor provides a quick connection to Kuala Selangor and the West Coast Expressway. It is also accessible from Shah Alam using the GCE.
PLUS also says that facilities (including food and beverage outlets) and services at all its R&Rs and lay-bys along the highways will be operating 24-hours a day throughout the Hari Raya. In anticipation of more visitors to these areas, there will be additional mobile toilets and water tankers.
However, if over-crowding disrupts traffic flow along the highway, some of the rest areas will be temporarily closed to manage the congestion and will be immediately re-opened once the crowd has dispersed and traffic flow is back to normal. It should also be remembered that social distancing is still required for public safety. Let’s prevent the case numbers from going back up again.
Finally, whether you are using a Touch’nGo card, SmartTAG or RFID, be sure that your tollcard or e-wallet has enough balance to cover the toll charges if you are travelling on other days. There will be a lot of vehicles behind you so don’t cause others inconvenience by not being able to pass through because you didn’t have enough balance. The PLUS website has a toll charge calculator which can let you know exactly the amount you need to pay between two toll plazas.
The concessionaire of Lebuhraya Pantai Timur 2 (LPT2) – LPT2 Sdn Bhd – urges motorists who are affected by flooded roads during the monsoon season to make use of its highway.
“We encourage the public travelling on the East Coast to use our LPT2 highway as it is a safer, more convenient and easier route. Our highway provides not only clean rest areas but also a force of 60-strong LPT2Ronda officers and 30 highway patrolling units to assist,” said LPT2 Regional Business Manager, Roszi Ibrahim.
LPT2Ronda personnel
A Rest & Service area along the highway.
In case of any emergencies, motorists can make stop at any of the Rest & Service Areas in Perasing, Paka and Ajil. However, remember the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that are in force which require social distancing (at least 1 metre apart) and use of face masks in public areas, especially where there are many people.
The 24-hour LPT2 Helpline is 1-800-88-0220 and provides highway users can obtain the latest traffic updates and emergency assistance along the 184-km stretch that runs from Jabor to Kuala Terengganu.
The 772-km North-South Expressway (NSE) which runs along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia was opened in 1982 and completed in stages by 1994. From the start, the standards of highway maintenance and safety were high, in line with international standards. Vehicles could travel speedily (up to the maximum limit of 110 km/h) along the multi-lane highway from Johor Bahru up to the Thai border, bypassing the old roads that were winding and narrow.
30 years ago today, April 1 1990, PLUSRonda began operations as a value-added highway patrol service provided by PLUS Malaysia Berhad, the concessionaires. The objective, which is the same today, is to ensure that the highway-users who encounter difficulties during their travels are given assistance. Be it a tyre puncture, stalled vehicle due to a flat battery or even an accident, the PLUSRonda team will arrive at the scene without fail.
“The PLUSRonda is one of the most iconic frontliners on PLUS highways. It is somehow even more meaningful that in the midst of the Covid-19 adversity, the 30th Anniversary of PLUSRonda is celebrated in remembrance of their purpose and sacrifices. While PLUS employees adhere to the Movement Control Order, many of our PLUSRonda are on-call; a patrolling schedule has been implemented to maintain the necessary response period in view of the lower traffic count,” said Datuk Azman Ismail, Managing Director of PLUS.
“We are very cognizant of the hazards that our frontliners are exposed to, which is why we have pulled out all the stops to ensure that every aspect of health, safety and security for them are provided for, so they may continue to execute their duties without fear or worries,” added Datuk Azman.
The pioneer team
The first batch of the PLUSRonda team consisted of 10 men who were joined by another ten during the first year in 1990. One of the pioneers, Zainal Abidin bin Lazim is still on active duty today and is based in Tangkak, Johor. Although aged 54, Encik Zainal Abidin Lazim continues to serve PLUS in the Traffic Safety Department, along with a few others of the original team.
“We are proud of our PLUSRonda, they are brave men who have only a single intention and that is to do their best for the safety and comfort of everyone who journeys along our highways, day and night. Their tireless conviction makes them a welcome sight when one is in distress along the NSE or LPT2,” said Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi, PLUS Chief Operating Officer.
“Many do not know that apart from saving lives at crash sites or attending to breakdowns, our PLUSRonda have also delivered babies in a number of emergency cases on the highway. Their training ranges from technical to medical aspects, equipping them with life-saving skills to be called upon when the situation arises,” he added.
Covering two highway networks
There are 574 PLUSRonda officers to cover the entire NSE and LPT2 (East Coast Expressway) highways. The PLUS highway network has 4 regions (including the East Coast) and each region has between 6 to 7 sections. Each section has a fleet of PLUSRonda patrol vehicles crewed by a pair of patrolmen. Prior to the MCO, the PLUSRonda routine was to patrol in a looping format so that they could be at the scene of any traffic incident (depending on the situation) within 30 minutes or less.
“My reason for becoming a PLUSRonda patrolman is to help others in any small way that I can. I am happy knowing our highway customers can travel safer when my partner and I are patrolling. The idea that I can help those in distress keeps me going. Being in PLUSRonda also offers me job security too,” said Encik Zainal Abidin Lazim. “I am proud that PLUS is fully committed to safety. While we are the last line of defence, safety on the roads is primarily in the hands of each of our highway-user.”
If you are travelling on a PLUS highway tonight, don’t forget that after midnight, toll rates will be 18% lower. So pull over at a R&R for a teh tarik and delay your exit till after midnight. If you’re coming from Juru in the north and exiting at Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur, you can save almost RM8. You might get a special welcome from the PLUS people too as they are gathered there tonight for a symbolic ceremony to mark the occasion.
The PLUS-operated highways which will have toll reductions are the North-South Expressway (NSE), the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), the North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), the Malaysia-Singapore Second Crossing (LINKEDUA), the Seremban-Port Dickson Highway (SPDH), the Butterworth – Kulim Expressway (BKE), the East-Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2), and the Penang Bridge.
The 18% reduction follows an agreement with the Ministry of Finance in exchange for an extension of the concession another 20 years until 2058. The reduction applies to all Passenger Vehicles (Class 1), Taxis (Class 4) and Buses (Class 5) and will remain unchanged until the concession ends. Toll charges for lorries (Classes 2 & 3) will also remain unchanged until the end of the concession in 2058.
PLUS has agreed to make the reduction as well as maintain the highways without any compensation or further funding from the government. Thus, apart from savings for the average of 1.7 million highway users each day, taxpayers will also not be paying for the upkeep of PLUS highways. PLUS has given assurance that its services and operations will not stagnate and aims to provide improvements as the years go by, as well as enhance the travelling experience on its highways.
If you are travelling on PLUS and LPT2 highways tomorrow (Saturday January 25), your toll charges will be 20% less as a discount is being offered from 12:00 am till 11:59 pm. The 20% discount is only for privately-registered passenger vehicles.
Applicable highways are the North-South Expressway, the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), Seremban-Port Dickson Expressway, the North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), Malaysia-Singapore Second Link Highway (Linkedua), Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE), Penang Bridge and the East-Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2).
There is no discount for those passing through the toll plazas at Tanjung Kupang. Motorists who are currently enjoying the existing Penang Bridge 20% toll discount via their Touch ‘n Go cards will also not be entitled to the discount.
To facilitate a smoother traffic flow during the festive period when millions of vehicles will be travelling on the highways, all toll plaza reload facilities on the entry lanes to PLUS-operated highways will be closed to customers from January 22 until February 3, 2020. This move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion due to the long queue at reload lanes at the toll plazas.
PLUS advises motorists to plan their journey in advance and most importantly, to reload their Touch ‘n Go card before starting their journey and make sure their card has sufficient balance to cover all toll charges along the way. There is no Touch ‘n Go card reload service provided at the exit lane of all PLUS toll plazas. However, certain toll plazas do have reload services at the PLUS customer service centres.
Most petrol station stores like the BHPetromarts along the highways offer TnG reload services. Top up extra since you can also use the same card to pay at many carparks.
Motorists can top-up their cards at 11,000 reload centres throughout the country, including Touch ‘n Go Spots which are located at 34 petrol stations along the PLUS highway and also Self-Service Kiosks which located at 67 locations at selected R&R areas, lay-bys and toll plazas.
During this festive season, PLUS is expecting a total of 2 million vehicles to utilize its highways, especially during the peak periods which are from January 22 – 24; January 27, 28 and 31; and February 1 (which is a holiday in the Federal Territory).
From February 1, 2020, toll charges on PLUS-operated highways will decrease by 18%, as reported earlier. There will be no change in toll rates on PLUS highways until 2058 but PLUS has its concession period extended by 20 years beyond 2038.
