E-toll reduces traffic congestion at toll plaza lanes

The electronic toll collection system has reduced traffic congestion at toll plaza lanes by up to 50 per cent, said Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin.

She said the system had cut down toll transaction time to about six seconds for Touch 'n Go and three seconds for SmartTag as compared to 15 seconds for cash transactions.

"The ETC system has reduced congestion at toll plaza lanes by 30 to 50 per cent and has helped consumers save time," she said in the Dewan Negara today.

She added that to ensure smooth passage through toll booths during peak hours, from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm, toll plaza workers were on standby at every ETC lane to help consumers with any problems.

Rosnah was answering a question from Senator Datuk Seri Boon Som Inong on the effectiveness of the ETC system in ensuring smoother rides for consumers.

"ETC use at all highway toll plazas too have increased from 65 per cent to 81 per cent," she said, adding that as of April 1, fifty-one of the 177 toll plazas nationwide had implemented the system.

Rosnah said it was estimated that on a normal day, almost 1.2 million vehicles ply the North-South Expressway and PLUS must ensure that the highway was always maintained and in good condition.

She added that performance-based road maintenance ensured that the roads were maintained according to schedule as provided for in the concession agreement.