Off-peak toll rates among steps mulled

By THE STAR | 18 October 2018


KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is looking into lowering toll rates, implementing a flat-rate toll system and offering discounts on toll rates during off-peak periods, says Works Minister Baru Bian.

"This includes not raising tolls rates in the next two or three years," he said in reply to a supplementary question by Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) in Dewan Rakyat today.

Ahmad wanted to know if the rakyat should continue to hope there would be toll free roads, in light of a recent statement by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that it was not a possibility.

Baru said today the Government can't afford to abolish toll "until the government's fiscal situation has been revived to a healthier level".

On the RM6.54bil West Coast Expressway (WCE) in the peninsula, Baru said there would be 20 toll plazas along the 233km highway.

He noted that the project, which began in 2013, was 60% complete and would be opened to road users in stages next year.

Baru said the project would be completed in 2022, two years behind schedule.

He said the delay was due to issues of land acquisition and routing of the highway alignment in Tanjung Karang.

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