11 more Awas cameras for North-South Expressway

PETALING JAYA: There will be 11 more Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas) cameras installed at accident-prone locations to improve road safety.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (pic) said the initial costs of installing the cameras along the North-South Expressway (NSE) would be borne by Plus Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) for a stipulated time.

"The exact locations of these additional cameras are still being studied, but one of it will be the Menora Tunnel (in Perak)," said Kamarudin in a press conference Thursday (May 16).

Kamarudin also encouraged other highway operators to follow in the foot steps of Plus in improving safety on the highways to help reduce the number of road accidents.

PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail said the initial RM3mil cost and subsequent expenditure for the 11 cameras will be absorbed by the company.

"The enforcement will still be done by the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

"Based on our studies, the presence of cameras are very effective in curbing drivers from driving above the speed limit.

"Our focus is to reduce the number of accidents caused by speeding," he said.

Kamarudin explained that the RM3mil was not a one-off cost as Plus would have to calibrate the devices once every few months, run tests and make sure the cameras were operating effectively.

The 11 cameras will be an addition to the 19 cameras that were installed and operated by JPJ currently.

Earlier, PLUS had handed over 10 Honda CRVs to the JPJ as part of its initiative to enhance safety on its highways.

The vehicles, totalling RM1.3mil, will help the JPJ carry out its enforcement and monitoring duties on the highways.

The PLUS-JPJ collaboration, as well as with other enforcement agencies and road safety initiatives by PLUS, has seen a significant drop in the number of road accidents on the NSE.

In 2016, a total of 14,532 accidents were reported but that number dropped to 13,269 in 2018.