Raya exodus: PLUS anticipates two million vehicles a day on highway network

KUALA LUMPUR: PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) anticipates that approximately two million vehicles will use its highway network daily on peak days of Aidilfitri this year.

PLUS chief operating officer Datuk Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi Zabidi in a statement here today said the figure translates to a 20 per cent increase in traffic as compared to normal days.

The peak days are from April 20 to 21, 24 to 25, April 29 to May 1, and from May 4 to 7.

"Therefore, we advise highway customers to plan for their 'Balik Kampung' travel earlier to avoid getting caught up in traffic surges during peak days," he said.

In coping with the traffic increase, he said PLUS is preparing and taking various strategies to help travellers enjoy safer and more convenient travel on its highways.

"The strategies include safety, traffic and congestion management, traffic distribution, traffic management at toll plazas, facilities management at rest areas, as well as traffic information dissemination throughout the holiday period," he said.

Zakaria said to ensure the safety of highway users, PLUS continues to collaborate with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Road Transport Department (RTD) for traffic law enforcement as well as carry out continuous road safety advocacy on the highways throughout the festive period.

In addition, he said PLUS also provides an Emergency Response Team (ERT) comprising of PDRM, RTD, Civil Defence Force (APM), St John Ambulance and Red Crescent Society (PBSM) at 11 strategic locations on the highway with more than 500 personnel.

"To improve the level of safety on the PLUS highway network including the East Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2) during the festive season, a total of 269 highway patrol teams including PLUSRonda and LPT2Ronda are assigned with patrolling 24 hours a day and to assist highway users in distress and emergencies. This is an increase of 9.3 per cent over normal days," he said.

PLUS will also issue its Travel Time Advisory (TTA) for the North-South Expressway as a strategy to distribute traffic and help the public to plan their 'Balik Kampung' and return to the Klang Valley travels during the holidays.

-- BERNAMA