Plan balik kampung journey beforehand

PETALING JAYA: With about 2.6 million vehicles expected on the main highways during the peak hours of Chinese New Year balik kampung euphoria, drivers and passengers should adhere to travel advice to ensure they reach their destinations safely, says the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).

Its director-general, Datuk Sazali Harun, advised the public to plan their journey by keeping tabs on the travel advisory issued by highway operators.

“Use the MyPLUS-TTA app provided by PLUS Bhd for the North-South Expressway, and the Travel Time Advisory (TTA) provided by AFA Prime for the KL-Karak Expressway and East Coast Expressway Phase 1.

“We anticipate a daily peak of 2.6 million vehicles using the main highways during the Chinese New Year holidays.

“Of this number, an estimated 2.2 million vehicles will travel on the North-South Expressway, 198,000 on the KL-Karak Expressway, 82,000 on the East Coast Expressway Phase 1, 48,000 on East Coast Expressway Phase 2, and 120,000 on the West Coast Expressway (WCE),” said Sazali when contacted.

He pointed out that LLM has not only set out their routine festivity measures along all routes, but has strongly pushed for the additional ban on heavy vehicles as well as upgraded the lay-by and rest areas for travellers.

“The heavy vehicle ban scheduled for Jan 27 to 28 and Feb 1 to 2 is expected to ease Chinese New Year traffic flow on the main highways. On top of that, 38 rest areas, lay-bys and toll plazas have been upgraded and refurbished by the end of 2024.

“On PLUS highways, there are also additional 50 more comfortable cabin-style temporary toilets to cater to the increased traffic,” said Sazali, who advised commuters to move to the next rest area if a location is congested.

“We have also ensured that there will be no lane closures by highway concession companies, except for emergency work, from Jan 23 to Feb 3.

“We are also activating smart lanes at 25 congestion hotspots on the North-South Expressway.

“Traffic management to improve traffic flow at toll plazas and interchanges will also be implemented with traffic channelisation or separation, activation of tidal lanes, and additional toll payment counters with portable readers,” said Sazali.

He said that LLM’s ultimate aim is to make the balik kampung journey as smooth as possible with everyone reaching their destinations safely.

For updates and assistance, highway users can contact the Traffic Management Centre (TMC) at 1-800-88-7752, Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia Facebook page, the X app (@llmtrafik), and TikTok (@llmtrafik).

For real-time traffic information, users can visit the LLM website at https://www.llm.gov.my. Traffic is updated on LLM Info Trafik WhatsApp Channel.

Meanwhile, the Works Ministry called on motorists to also be careful on federal trunk roads.

“Currently, there are 90 blackspots on federal trunk roads throughout the country which are areas where accidents happen frequently. We are treating these areas to make them safer.

“There are three in Johor, Kedah (13), Kelantan (10), Melaka (1), Pahang (1), Negeri Sembilan (14), Perak (9), Perlis (3, Penang (7), Selangor (6), Terengganu (6), Federal Territory (2), Sabah (10) and Sarawak (5),” said the Works Ministry.