PLUS Gears Up For Lunar New Year Traffic Increase

PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) anticipates 1.6 million vehicles will use the North-South Expressway (NSE) everyday on Peak Days throughout the Chinese New Year holidays, a 20 percent increase from 1.3 million traffic on normal days.

“As such, PLUS will implement various strategies to cope with the traffic increase and at the same time, help the public enjoy smoother journey during the holidays,” said PLUS Managing Director, Dato’ Noorizah Hj Abd Hamid.

TTA for Peak Days

As implemented during previous festive seasons, PLUS is issuing a Travel Time Advisory schedule (TTA) for Peak Days travel on the NSE between 5 February and 14 February.

The TTA focuses on traffic distribution and is aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the mainline, most notably at major stretches, toll plazas and rest areas. The schedule is based on studies on the public travel pattern during previous festive seasons.

“As such, we advise the public planning to travel on the NSE on these Peak Days to follow the TTA. Based on our studies, higher adoption rate of the TTA by the public for outbound and inbound journey had resulted in smoother traffic flow on the mainline,” Noorizah said.

Improving Highway Level of Service

PLUS will also implement various strategies to improve its overall highway operations and level of service during the upcoming festive season.

“Among the initiatives are deploying more staff on the highways and the traffic monitoring centre (TMC), increasing the number of PLUSRonda teams and patrolling loops, stationing emergency rescue teams at strategic locations, providing additional parking areas and portable toilets at major rest areas, providing additional tow trucks at selected locations, deploying more than 3,200 staff at toll plazas, conducting aerial traffic surveillance and many more,” Noorizah explained.

In addition, “PLUS will open up contra flow at selected stretches on the mainline. However, the contra flow can only be activated based on the current traffic situation and approval from the Police”, Noorizah added.

Up to 30 Percent Toll Rebate

“As part of an effort to distribute the traffic, PLUS will be offering 30 percent toll rebates on 4, 11 and 15 February,” Noorizah elaborated.

A 30 percent toll rebate will be given to Class 1 highway users paying toll electronically (via PLUSMiles, Touch ‘n Go cards or SmartTAGs) on 4, 11 and 15 February. The rebate is given to those travelling more than 100 kilometres on the NSE, ELITE and NKVE highway.

For example, a highway user travelling between Jalan Duta Toll Plaza and Ipoh Selatan Toll Plaza will be able to save RM7.95 in a form toll reload as follows:-

Entry Toll Plaza	Exit Toll Plaza	Toll Charges	Savings Through 30% Eligible Toll Rebate
Jalan Duta	Ipoh Selatan	RM26.50	RM7.95
Sungai Besi	Skudai	RM41.30	RM12.39
Jalan Duta	Bidor	RM17.60	RM5.28
Juru	Ipoh Utara	RM16.80	RM5.04
Seremban	Pagoh	RM16.70	RM5.01
Putrajaya	Ayer Keroh	RM17.40	RM5.22
Damansara	Juru	RM43.00	RM12.90

The toll rebate can be redeemed at all Customer Service Centres on the PLUS highways between 15 March and 14 June this year.

Highway Traffic Updates

PLUS also advises the public to get the latest traffic updates on the NSE through the PLUSTrafik Twitter service, the PLUS Mobile Apps, the toll free PLUSLine 1800 88 0000, major radio stations and electronic message boards at strategic locations along the highways.

Noorizah was quoted at a media briefing on the PLUS preparations in coping with the traffic increase on festive season at the Persada PLUS on 28 January. Also present was PLUS Chief Operating Officer, Mohammad Fuad Khusairi.

-www.plus.com.my