The government may introduce on-peak and off-peak toll rates for the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) to ease congestion, according to Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed. Ironically, most of the traffic jams on the LDP are caused by the toll plaza itself, and made worse by Smart Tag systems that never work as they should.
Datuk Mohd Zin says that the lower off-peak toll rates may encourage motorists to travel during off-peak periods, spreading out the traffic load of the highway across more time periods. You could either wake up earlier and save on the toll charges on the way to work, or leave the office later to save on the toll charges on the way home, or you could wake up earlier and leave the office later and save on toll charges on both ways.
Another solution would be to “realign the highway”, which would involve expensive land acquisitions and construction costs.
The Works Minister also revealed that the government has paid a total of over 630 million ringgit so far since the year 1999 in toll subsidies for the LDP, despite it being such a traffic nightmare. I am pretty sure the prices of land and houses in Puchong and nearby areas are affected by the LDP as well.
I have heard of someone whose apartment in Puchong’s value depreciated, while others have had their property appreciate only a small amount or remain stagnant in value.
This is another example of the government asking the rakyat to “ubah gaya hidup” (change our lifestyles) when it does not know how to get around problems that the rakyat faces. Rather than a real solution to the LDP woes, we are encouraged to go to work and go home at awkward hours.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
What are the number facts behind this idea? Btw if it works ill be glad since i use it evryday.
Another no brain fella like SEMI VALUE.
Kelana Jaya until 1 Utama, got no toll but jam like shit
Too good to be true. I use it everyday from Puchong toll to Sunway toll. I leave early to send the kids, arrive at the office half an hour early but spend 5 to 10 mins in traffic at the Sunway toll. Worse if it was raining.
I don’t see it as a solution unless those area are serviced by good and reliable public transport or some kind of mass people mover system. If its not in the interest of the LDP concessionaire to have a competitor, ask (tell) them to provide the service.
Good solutions don’t come cheap.
will it be a good idea for Penang bridge?
There is news saying contruction cost is RM1.3billion but toll collection over the 30years is estimated about RM8billion !!!
Since this is a damn good profitable business, why don’t the goverment take up the ownership? This is part of the thousand reason why they loose 2/3 majority…….
ldp is a major place for accidents. once ive seen a motorcyclist’s head being stuck under a bmw z3 bumper. the rider was crying for help, but the caucasian driver dont understand. he tried to reverse the car off him with the head was intact, i couldnt bare to watch so i walked away whilst my buddy helped out by calling an ambulance.
i think ldp should be further upgraded. they should create a double tier expressway, like what the sprint highway and npe should be, upper deck for the north bound, whilst the south bound on the lower deck, that should rectify major major hiccups
Just open 1 or 2 road will solve the problem out…saved all the money on long term.
Example: Open road from behind of IOI JayaJusco, which will divert people who going to Sunway not to used LDP road.
Alternative if LDP can’t solve the problem must well remove it off. pay still jammed.
Hah, no more Semi Value stuff!!!
Dear Paul,
I stayed in Puchong for two years – moved out in 2005. One of top 3 reason was the neverending jam.
It’s absurd. You pay toll money to get into a “JAM”. Worse….without doing anything, the Goverment increased the toll charges by 60% to RM1.60.
With the idiot Samy Vellu gone, i thought his replacement would have more brains but it seems this Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed is either another idiot or is advised by another bunch of idiots in his ministry!
Come on…Do these ministers even travel during peaks hours without police escort? Do they know what people using the LDP go through everyday?
I dont know what happens at the Sri Damansara and Kepong end but let me tell you what happens at the Puchong end.
The jam starts as early as 7am at the toll plaza and continues until at least 9.30am for those going out on work days. for those returning home, it starts at 6.30 with a long queue to pay toll and once you exit….FUI-YOH..Samy Vellu Legacy begins…a pointless traffic solution…Jam heading in to Puchong. This goes on until at least 8.30.
Maybe Datuk Mohd Zin travels is the opposite direction to his office in Putrajaya. maybe thats why he does not see the problem.
Coming up with cheaper off peak rates is not going to make any improvements. It’s Just going to get worse. Every honest person working hard for his / her money will be leaving home early in the morning to cut some form of forced cost and will be joined tens of thousands of other motorist just like him and end up getting stuck in jam early when they are supposed to be enjoying some good sleep.
same goes when they return home. people dont have a choice. the only other alternative is to drive a long journey into PJ/DU/BU via the Old Klang Road and then to PJ which is toll free but Jam stricken as well.
I remember the old Puchong Damansara road. Yes..jam all the way…but we did not have to pay neither RM2 or RM3.2 on a return journey!
RM3.2 is a lot of money. In a week, one spends RM16 (just count work days – five days in a week). In a month (four weeks), he/she spends RM64. In a year, that amount spirals up to RM768 just travelling in and out of Puchong. I pity those who have to pay at both ends of LDP.
When are these lazy idiots in the goverment are going to realise that the LDP is a defect right from the start – a result of poor planning?
Can you imagine three lane’s heading out of Puchong opening up to almost 10 operational toll booth lanes and then, when you exit, bottling into three lanes and then two at the Motorola bridge?
Have they ever been able to see that the jam is caused by the bottle neck effect at major residential traffic entry points along the highway? how are they planning to solve this?
I do seriously hope that the relevant ministry does a careful study before even suggesting a solution that sounds like it was made by a standard one kid.
To be honest…The government should give us tax rebates based on toll payments in our income tax assessments. I wont be surprised that an average Klang Valley residents pays above RM3000 in toll charges annually. I know because I do and 80% is not claimable under employment benefits.
i think nothing can be done at the “penang” bridge to damansara..not enough space to build additional lane..or two tier highway..
how to build the interchange or exit at the certain area..even the highway towards damansara is small..car moving very near to each other..
yup i from putrajaya, travelling to TTDI to work..unfortunate for me..all highway toward TTDI is a HELL..
i do agree, they build a LRT system in damansara, puchong and pj..but please government, do plan it betul-betul ok..
Wonder how on-peak and off-peak charging works….
Its not like most of us have flexy hours for work/school/sending kids to daycare. Its called rush hour for a reason.
if it was found that the toll plaza is the cause for jams….FIX the bloody toll plaza!
The other daily nightmare is getting into the FedHwy from Subang……lucky I don’t have to work in KL. The few weeks I need to be stationed there is already bad enough.
Whatever. I wonder what profit does the LDP make actuially. Be transparent. So the off peak reate is jut like the telephone rate? Demand and supply theory actually. More demand, high price. It’s simple.
hmm… for whatever reason, to reduce the toll charges is good for everyday users.. but, traffic jam will still be there…
just to share, i’ve involved in a 9 cars accident a few year back on the LDP.. on the flyover in front of Giant K.J heading towards TTDI.. i’m the 5th car, not my fault actually, i’ve manage to stop on time (same with the guy in front of me).. but the 6th car was way too fast & slam my car hard then pushed mine to the 4th car..
Offpeak is a good idea to reduce congestion, but there shouldn’t be any charge for using LDP anyway, u can’t even call it a highway
funny thing is that ppl are still flocking to Puchong to buy houses. In addition, developers are still building new housing area in Puchong (just read the newspaper)- meaning more CRAZY traffic jam is yet to come.
if one can move away from Puchong area, pls do so…Save the time and misery stuck in the jam.
Hoping the Govt to do solve the traffic jam problem is like hoping a cow to sprout wings and fly….this is my opinion, of course.
Hi/Asalamualaikum,
When it comes to toll, I couldn’t hold my fingers from typing some comments on it. The infamous LDP Highway. Last time our dear ex-Minister Samy Vellu tries to make Touch N’ Go and Smart Tag a must. I’ve to agree with that ex-minister’s idea. Our neighbouring country uses Smart-Tag-like device to smoothen the traffic flow and no cash toll booth. In Japan, they’ve set up a law that cars and lorries of all sorts must be changed every 5 to 7 years to reduce the possibility of vehicles break-down. I’m sure every road users in here notice that if one car break down at LDP, the jam will pile up from TTDI towards Puchong because we Malaysians are famous with the phrase, “Prihatin”. Yes, we are “Prihatin” enough to see only but not to lend any help (by pushing the vehicle aside).
“Car registration system in Japan is called ‘Shaken’. It requires a series of safety inspections combined with compulsory insurance, weight and vehicle tax. New cars are sold with 3 years ‘Shaken’. After the first ‘Shaken’ expires it must be renewed every 2 years throughout the ownership of the vehicle. Therefore many Japanese generally sell or part-exchange their cars at the end of 5th or 7th year of ownership as ‘Shaken’ expires. Quoted from http://www.japancarsales.com/”.
It turns out that our road is jam pack from head to toe if ones want to describe it. The only way up is to heavily invest in public transportation targeted at urban area. So our dear Tun Dr. Mahathir is right in creating the LRT and Monorail in the first place. The layout is there, time to upgrade it as soon as possible. Make it cheap and plenty as well. The reason why some Smart-Tag and Touch N’ Go doesn’t work (as complained by one of the forumers up there) is that maybe you guys didn’t pay your Touch N’ Go prepaid bills?
Well enough said.
actually..the traffic jam is caused by bali exit..where people want to enter the federal highway and NPE..and also sunway lagoon..but like i said earlier..nothing can be done there..if there is setinggan house, then it is easy to build an extra lane..just my two cents
What call on peak off peak, if the office hour change to 1.00am – 9.00am sure no jam, sure save cost lar, or change to night shift 8.00pm – 5.00am, also save cost, The minister must think of this way, dont suggest this and that, dont announce before it make sense, just study the case and ldont let the people blame all your shit idea.
Exit to Sunway Pyramid, Leisure Commerce Square, Kelana Jaya, Taman megah, SS2, Damansara Uptown, 1 Utama, kepong toll, sungai buloh exit all the way Jam, how to solve the jam? on peak paid more? off peak free of charge?
Any public transport to puchong, where is the LRT & Monorail, now call rapid? where? the government should study before make any announcement.
LDP is not a highway but HELLway…
This is another example of the government asking the rakyat to “ubah gaya hidup†(change our lifestyles) when it does not know how to get around problems that the rakyat faces. Rather than a real solution to the LDP woes, we are encouraged to go to work and go home at awkward hours.
Paul, Datuk Ir. Mohd Zin not Datuk Mohd Zin, hehe. Not easy to get the ‘Ingenieur’ title, about 12,000 engineers ONLY have that kind of title.
Very nice bridge cable from GAMUDA Berhad….the expert contractor in bridge and tunnel.
Make public transport as efficient as it can be. Please no bus lane! Not everyone can afford to go in at different times and maybe some will not even care what happens. Car-pool system like Indon where they need a passenger to enter a section of the road? Then again, maybe not.
Malaysia Boleh!
can some one check whether it needs to have 230million that is paid to the company to build the LDP? common, if that is making money, why the government sub it out to the company instead of making the money for the tax payers?