Morning peak hour ban for heavy vehicles starts today

STARTING today, Plus Expressways Bhd have banned heavy vehicles from plying three stretches of highways managed by the company, during early morning peak hours from 6.30am to 9.30am on weekdays.

Heavy vehicles, except buses, weighing 10,000kg and above must stay off these stretches — the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) between Shah Alam and Jalan Duta, the North-South Expressway (NSE) between Sungai Buloh and Bukit Lanjan and Federal Highway Route 2 between Subang and Sungai Rasau.

According to Plus Expressways managing director Noorizah Abd Hamid, the ban on heavy vehicles was imposed to reduce traffic congestion during the peak hours.

Drivers of heavy vehicles are advised to use alternative routes (See map).

Those who violate the ban could be issued summonses for up to RM300 and if they decide to challenge the matter in court and lose, they are liable to be fined up to RM1,000, jailed three months or both.

While the move by Plus is commendable and should be emulated by other highway concessionaires, it is not something new as a similar plan has been implemented by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in 1994.

According to a senior DBKL enforcement officer, heavy vehicles involving Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles weighing 10,000kg and more are not allowed to enter the city centre at peak hours to curb congestion.

Initially, the ban was from 7am to 9.30am and from 4pm to 7.30pm. However, in 2008, the timing was revised to 6.30am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 7.30pm, respectively.

Yellow signboards with the restricted times were set up at 29 strategic locations along major roads entering the city centre including Jalan Kuching, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Syed Putra and Jalan Bangsar, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Kelang Lama, Jalan Loke Yew and Jalan Istana.

“Since the ban was implemented by DBKL, there has been a slight reduction of heavy vehicles plying the city roads,” the DBKL officer said.

However, the officer said there were drivers of heavy vehicles who flouted the ban as it was difficult for DBKL to monitor all 29 areas.

Another reason that prevents DBKL enforcement team from carrying out its duties is that they are not allowed to enforce the rule.

“We put up the signboards but we do not enforce it — only the police are authorised to issue summonses,’’ he said, adding that the DBKL’s jurisdiction was limited to stationary vehicles.

Despite the hitches, many applauded the move by DBKL and Plus to curb one of Kuala Lumpur’s perennial woes.

Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak) communications head Bhavani Krishna Iyer said the company was also looking at enforcing a peak hour ban on the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) but nothing had been decided yet.

Meanwhile, the Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit (Transit) lauded the move and said it was timely.

Transit adviser Moaz Yusof Ahmad said it was a good idea and should have been done a long time ago, but added that the government should look into building a new train link to Klang that by-passed Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley.

“With a new link, there will be less heavy freight transport on the road.

“This would help companies be more efficient and save time instead of being stuck in traffic,’’ Moaz said, adding that there should be strict enforcement for this to work.

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