KUALA LUMPUR: The public will quickly have the ability to pay freeway tolls utilizing any digital cost supplier and never simply Touch ‘n Go, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Touch ‘n Go card for highway tolling would also be retired in 2025 and the SmartTag lane to be phased out, he said in an interview with news portal Free Malaysia Today.
“Soon, it will be up to the public to use any digital mode of payment – whether you want to use Touch ‘n Go eWallet, debit or credit card, or Visa or Mastercard or any kind of (electronic) payment system, as long as there’s a hyperlink accessible on a (explicit) freeway,” he was quoted as saying.
He mentioned the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) was attempting to guarantee it could be handy for the general public to embrace the web mode of cost.
“We have been listening to the folks’s demand to open extra (on-line payments) and we’re conscious that individuals have been complaining that they’ve to pay prematurely for Touch ‘n Go whether or not they’re utilizing (the freeway) or not,” he mentioned.
The future implementation of any digital cost for freeway tolls would nevertheless depend upon when the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) penetration reaches a passable charge and when freeway concessionaires have been prepared to hyperlink up with further on-line cost suppliers, he mentioned.
Only one RFID tag can be required for the aim, he mentioned.
He additionally mentioned freeway concessionaires had been instructed to be ready to put in place by 2025 a multi-lane free move (MLFF) system, which is a barrier-free tolling system, with out toll cubicles and no devoted lanes.
The MLFF system makes use of a gantry construction geared up with automated quantity plate recognition (ANPR) at particular places.
“If we really feel there will probably be some delay by some freeway concessionaires, we could take into account a personal funding mannequin or non-public finance initiatives to take over (the MLFF system).
“The non-public funding mannequin is for an open system. As you possibly can see there are numerous highways within the nation and all of the programs want to be built-in. If we have a look at Singapore and Taiwan, they’ve single authority management (over the system),” he mentioned.
Fadillah mentioned there have been some parts that LLM had to fine-tune earlier than launching the MLFF system, together with the rules side, enforcement procedures, infrastructure growth, RFID penetration charge and communication plan for MLFF implementation.
Fadillah added that the MLFF system was a key issue within the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) blueprint for future freeway networks.
Meanwhile, the pilot stage of ANPR is underway on the Kajang-Seremban Highway (LEKAS), he mentioned.
“We are additionally a proposal for a public-private partnership or PFI, topic to additional dialogue with the LEKAS concessionaire and one other pilot mission at Besraya Highway quickly,” he mentioned.
