PUTRAJAYA • Malaysia will reduce the Goods Vehicle Levy at the Second Link from RM200 (S$68) to RM50 from next Tuesday, to ease congestion at the crossing between Malaysia and Singapore.
Both outbound and inbound commercial vehicles will pay only RM50 from that date, Malaysia's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement yesterday.
It said all toll charges at the Second Link - between Tanjung Kupang and Tuas - would also be reduced.
"This is among the measures taken to reduce congestion at the Causeway. With this move, we expect traffic to ease by 40 per cent," it said, referring to the other crossing between the two countries, the Johor Baru-Woodlands link.
Toll charges at the Second Link will be reduced by between 47 per cent and 82 per cent, depending on the vehicle class.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Singapore's Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said reducing Causeway congestion was discussed between the prime ministers of the two countries at the Leaders' Retreat last month, and cutting tolls at the Second Link was one suggestion.
"Welcome this decision and will match Malaysia's revised toll rates. This will take effect from 1 April 2018. Hopefully, this will encourage some road users to shift out of the peak hour period," Mr Khaw wrote.
"To ease the congestion at the Causeway, we are also working with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) to increase the frequency of their Tebrau Shuttle from 26 trips to 31 trips daily starting next Tuesday, 13 February, in time for Chinese New Year," he added.
Malaysia's PMO said the new rates are applicable during off-peak hours between 10am and 3pm, and 11pm and 5am.
From Feb 13, private vehicles will be charged RM4 (from RM7.50 currently) and taxis RM3 (from RM5.70). Buses will have to pay RM4.50 (from RM9.10).
Toll charges for commercial vehicles in Classes 2 and 3 will be reduced from RM17.10 and RM34.30 respectively, to RM4.50 and RM6.10, like on the Causeway.
Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday that a high level meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would also look at other proposals to ease congestion at the Causeway.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
