Congestion charge can reduce KL traffic by 20 per cent - Dr Zaliha

KUALA LUMPUR: A congestion charge is expected to reduce traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur by around 20 per cent, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

She said that to ensure the success of the initiative, which is still under study, the congestion charge must be set at a rate that discourages motorists from using certain roads.

"However, the government does not want the charge to be set too high, as it should not place an additional burden on road users," she said when replying to a question from Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN-Padang Serai) during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Azman had wanted to know the mechanism for implementing the congestion charge and the estimated reduction in traffic congestion expected by the government.

Dr Zaliha said a 2020 study by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad revealed that the country incurred losses amounting to RM20 billion due to traffic congestion.

She stated that the study on the implementation of the congestion charge is being conducted by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the Malaysia Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC).

"This study covers various aspects, including implementation mechanisms, projected reductions in traffic volume, and expected increases in public transport usage if the charge is introduced," she said.

Dr Zaliha added that the Federal Territories Department (JWP) would ensure efforts to enhance Kuala Lumpur's public transport network are carried out in tandem with the congestion charge study.

-- BERNAMA