If you feel that there are more cars on the road these days and jams are getting more frequent, you’re not wrong. PLUS says that daily traffic on the highway has increased to 1.8 million vehicles per day, up from 1.6 million in 2019 before the pandemic. And daily volume is expected to reach two million per day over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, which is from December 23 to January 2, 2023.
PLUS COO Datuk Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi says that following the start of the school holidays, the concessionaire has been consistently recording more than 1.8 million vehicles per day.
The year-end holiday season will see extended travelling hours and this is where the obligatory travel time advisory (TTA) schedule comes in to help motorists plan their journey. “Highway customers are strongly encouraged to follow the TTA schedule to plan their journey well and prepare for an extended travel time due to high traffic on the highway,” Zakaria said.
Those from the Klang Valley heading towards further destinations such as Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak (North), and Johor are advised to enter the highway before 10am. Meanwhile, those heading towards closer locations or to other states not mentioned above are advised to enter the highway between noon and 4pm. As for the return trip to the Klang Valley, everyone should enter the highway before 10am.
“The TTA focuses on traffic distribution and is aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the highway, most notably at major stretches, toll plazas and rest areas during this festive period. It is designed to prevent traffic heading towards further destinations from converging with that traffic heading towards nearer ones, where adhering may make a positive difference in one’s journey experience,” Zakaria added.
TTA aside, PLUS has issued ‘Stop Work and No Lane Closure’ orders from December 23 to 26, and between December 30 to January 1 to avoid unnecessary congestion. However, temporary lane closures might need to be carried out to make way for accident clearance and cleaning works, as well as emergencies or critical maintenance. Drive safe and happy holidays.
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Should it be journey to Perak after 12pm in order to reduce congestion before Perak? … like what they propose to Johor and other state.
Merry Christmas
Pls ensure non emergency highway maintenance work such as grass cutting, replacements of damaged guard rails, etc be put off until after end of the year. Many a times the closure of one lane esp on 2 lanes highway to facilitate such works has caused unnecessary jams that stretches for more than 5km and almost an hour delay in travelling time. You can just imagine the frustration being caught in one of this unnecessary congestions.