Be prepared for a gridlock
PLUS expects 21% increase in vehicles on the expressway this festive period
PETALING JAYA: Motorists will have to brace themselves for heavy traffic along the North-South Expressway when they travel back today or tomorrow after a nice, long five-day weekend.
PLUS Malaysia Bhd has anticipated a 21% increase in vehicles using the mainline throughout this festive period.
It is expecting some 3.4 million vehicles plying the NSE today and tomorrow or 1.7 million vehicles daily as compared to 1.4 million on normal working days.
PLUS advised those planning to travel from the Klang Valley to Perlis, Kedah, Penang, northern Perak and Johor to enter the highway before 10am daily. Those travelling to other states should enter after 10am.
For those travelling to the Klang Valley from Perlis, Kedah, Penang, northern Perak and Johor, enter the highway before 10am while those travelling from other states should hit the highway after 10am.
This would distribute the traffic and prevent vehicles from converging at various locations which would lead to congestions.
The traffic condition along the NSE yesterday was moderately smooth north-bound while the south-bound route saw slow-moving traffic at certain locations.
As all 134 Touch n’ Go (TnG) reload lanes at toll plazas will be closed until tomorrow, highway users are advised to ensure that they have sufficient balance in their PLUSMiles or TnG cards before setting out on their journey. Selfservice kiosks for reloading the cards are available at most of the 24 Rest and Service Areas (RnR).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had declared Sept 4 a public holiday in appreciation of the outstanding achievement of the Malaysian contingent in the 29th SEA Games.
With Thursday being National Day and Hari Raya Haji on Friday, Malaysians are now close to the end of their long weekend holiday.
Motorists are advised to take a break when they are exhausted at the RnRs and the 48 lay-bys along the NSE.
Meanwhile, there is also a toll rebate for those travelling tomorrow – a 30% rebate for transactions via PLUSMiles cards and 10% rebate for transactions via TnG cards.
Both rebates are offered to Class 1 highway users (light vehicles with 2 axles and 3 or 4 wheels except taxi) travelling more than 100km on all PLUS-operated highways.
Highway users will still be required to pay toll in full. The 30% and 10% toll rebates (in the form of toll reloads) will be reloaded into their cards when they top-up their cards at all PLUS customer service centres from Sept 15 until Dec 14.
The toll rebates are not offered for toll payments at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Tanjung Kupang and Penang Bridge toll plazas.