S’pore revises Woodlands charges

Fare decision: Vehicles entering Singapore via Woodlands being checked at the crossing.

JOHOR BARU: The transport and logistic providers welcome the decision by Singapore to revise and abolish charges for vehicles leaving and entering the republic via the Woodlands checkpoint effective Feb 1.

Pan-Malaysian Lorry Owners Association president Anthony Tan said the move would help to im­­prove and increase cross-border trade between Malaysia and Singa­pore.

“It will lower the costs of sending goods to and from Singapore,” he said yesterday.

Tan hopes the Malaysian Govern­ment will also reduce, or better still, abolish toll charges at the Second Link Crossing in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah.

The move will help to effectively disperse traffic at the two land links and reduce congestion at the Johor Causeway, he said.

Tan said lorries coming from the central and northern parts of Malaysia and north of Johor such as Batu Pahat, Muar and Senai could use the Second Link while those from the central, east and south of Johor use the Causeway.

He said there were about 3,000 Malaysian-registered lorries using the Johor Causeway daily.

Johor South SME Association founding president Teh Kee Sin said people in Johor Baru and Singapore would be happy with the revision and abolishment of the toll charges.

This was certainly good news for thousands of Malaysians who commuted to the republic daily from Johor Baru, he said.

Malaysian Indian Commerce Asso­ciation president P. Sivakumar said the impact would be especially good for the development of Iskandar Malaysia.

Singapore revised its toll charges at the Woodland checkpoint to match Malaysia’s recent removal of toll charges at the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL).

The Land Transport Authority of Singapore said this was in line with Singapore’s long-standing policy of matching Malaysia’s toll rates.

Singapore toll charges for all ve­­hicles (except motorcycles) leaving Singapore via Woodlands will be reduced, and toll charges for all vehicles (except motorcycles) entering the republic via Woodlands will be removed.

Presently, car owners pay S$3.80 (RM11.40) and S$2.70 (RM8.10) for leaving and entering Singapore. Effective Feb 1, they will only pay S$1 (RM3) to leave the republic.

For now, vans and light goods vehicles pay S$5.80 (RM17.40) to leave and S$4 (RM12) to enter but from Feb 1, it costs S$1.50 (RM4.50); heavy goods vehicles pay S$7.70 (RM23.10) to enter and S$5.30 (RM15.90) to leave and from Feb 1, S$2 (RM6); taxis pay S$1.90 (RM5.70) to leave and S$1.40 (RM4.20) to enter and from Feb 1, 50 cents (RM1.50); and buses pay S$3.10 (RM9.30) to leave and S$2.20 (RM6.60) to enter and from Feb 1, 80 cents (RM2.40).