Feeling squeezed by the recent toll fare hikes? Wake up earlier to use toll-free alternative routes, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan urged motorists, according to a report by Malay Mail Online.
“Wherever there are tolls, there are alternative routes. So you can avoid tolls just that you would have to brave the traffic. You would have to invest in more time, waking up earlier. It’s about trading off,” he told reporters after launching a forum on town planning in KL today.
According to MMO, the minister was defending the government against criticism of the recent rate hike. He added that the government had no choice but to allow the concessions to raise toll rates as there had been no increase for some time.
The rate hike was necessary as maintenance costs of operating the highways were also shooting up, and the government felt that it was only fair that consumers bear some of the costs to prevent more taxpayers money from being used to subsidise the tolls. “Given the choice no government would want to increase the toll rates, but we have no choice,” he said.
The Kota Belud MP added that Putrajaya was still subsidising some of the costs despite the increase.
Last month, 18 highways increased toll fares, with Class 1 passenger vehicles having to pay between 20 sen to RM2.30 more than before. The highways are the AKLEH, Besraya, DUKE, Grand Saga, Guthrie Corridor Expressway, Kajang SILK, Karak, LATAR, LEKAS, LKSA, MEX, NPE, SMART tunnel, Senai-Desaru Expressway, SKVE, Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR), Sprint Expressway and the LDP.
The table below shows you the before and after toll fares for Class 1 vehicles:
Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof revealed last month that despite the price hikes, the government paid RM510 million in compensation to concessionaires for the Jan-Oct 15 period, because toll rates should have been raised in January. Without the toll fare increase, next year’s bill would amount to RM1.6 billion.
If the increased toll fares are too much of a burden, and you don’t fancy waking up earlier for alternative routes, there’s always the city’s rail services. But do bear in mind that KTM Komuter ticket prices will go up next month, while LRT and Monorail fare structures have been revised by Prasarana.
