Inactive toll plazas pose danger to speeding motorists, one fatality is recorded

SHAH ALAM: The Batu Tiga and Sungei Rasau toll plazas, both inactive since Jan 1 following the abolition of toll there, posing a hazard to tens of thousands of motorists taking the route daily.
As it is a toll-free passage, motorists are no longer slowing down to pass through the toll gates.
Checks by theSun showed that instead of slowing down as they have done in the past when approaching both of the toll plazas, there are motorists from both Klang and Petaling Jaya directions who speed over the legal limits and attempt to slip through the narrow passages.
There were also cars spotted switching lanes at high speeds near the toll plazas causing near-misses with other vehicles.
Early today, the first fatality since the toll-free passage began was reported when a female passenger in a speeding vehicle was killed after the driver lost control of the car and crashed into the Batu Tiga toll booth.
Shah Alam police chief ACP Shafien Mamat said today the passenger, Norsya'Baniah Norhisham, 20, of Pedas, Negri Sembilan was killed at the scene of the accident that occurred at about 6.40am.
Driver Muhammad Azki Dahlan Jamit, 21, of Hulu Langat suffered injuries and was sent to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang for treatment.
Traffic police sources said that over the past two weeks, there have been a number of accidents reported at the toll plazas. Except for damage to vehicles, such as grazing and hitting the curbs at the toll collection cabins, there were no casualties reported.
Sources also said that there has been an increase in vehicle volume on the Federal Highway since the abolition of tolls.
"The increase is between 30% and 40% daily. Motorists who took other routes to and from Petaling Jaya and Klang are now switching to the Federal Highway to save toll costs. This has caused some traffic congestion along the whole stretch, especially during peak hours," said a source.
Selangor police traffic chief Supt Kamaludin Mohamad said motorists should slow down and travel at low speeds at both the toll plazas until they are removed to avoid untoward incidents.
"Motorists should be aware that the passage of the toll gate is narrow and passing it at high speeds can be tricky and risky. If they lose control, it can be disastrous. Slowing down to safe speeds can avoid a mishap," he told theSun today.
Traffic police personnel will be stationed at the toll plazas to monitor speeding vehicles and ease traffic congestion, he added.
Two weeks ago, Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) director-general Datuk Ismail Md Salleh said removal of both plazas will commence this month and is expected to be completed in three months.
The demolition will be carried out slowly due to the high traffic flow and traffic diversions, and congestion on the highway can be expected when work is in progress.
Prior to the toll abolition, about 150,000 vehicles passed through the Batu Tiga and 122,000 vehicles at the Sungai Rasau toll plazas daily.