Redesign roads for free-flow toll system, says expert

PETALING JAYA: The free-flow system at toll plazas should be accompanied by improvements to road infrastructure to ease traffic congestion, says a transport expert.

Mara Liner CEO Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said the removal of barriers and booth-based payments would eliminate only one bottleneck and not the broader causes of congestion, such as overloaded exits, weak public transport alternatives and high dependence on cars.

The free-flow system removes the toll queue, but it does not remove traffic demand, he said.

He called for road redesigns, “because removing barriers without fixing the road geometry may simply preserve old bottlenecks in a new form”.

The multilane freeflow system uses overhead gantries equipped with RFID and automatic number plate recognition technology to replace booth-based toll collection.

Road concessionaire IJM Corp Bhd said last week that the system would be implemented at the extension project for the New Pantai Expressway in 2029.

Transport consultant Rosli Khan said the system could also be undermined by non-compliance if enforcement is weak.

Removing physical barriers would make it easier for motorists to enter highways without registering for, or using, the payment system. “It is difficult to trace offenders because addresses are often outdated and enforcement powers are limited,” he said.

Rosli said concessionaires also lack the authority to penalise offenders, making legal enforcement a critical issue before the system is fully rolled out.

“The system works well in a country like Japan because drivers generally obey the law and do not intentionally try to avoid payment. That makes implementation much easier,” he said.

Last year, deputy works minister Ahmad Maslan said several laws would be amended to allow for the free-flow system. The proposed amendments would cover provisions for toll-evasion offences and the enforcement mechanisms required under the new collection system.

A seamless user experience

Wan Agyl said Malaysia must ensure the system offers a seamless user experience, even if different providers operate behind the scenes.

“A driver should not need to think about which highway uses which app. The system should reduce friction, not move the friction from the toll plaza to the phone,” he said.

The use of different apps, accounts or payment processes could turn physical barriers into digital ones, he said.

Rosli said Malaysia’s highway network comprises 33 concessionaires with different agreements, concession periods and toll structures, making a common framework much needed.