JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor government believes that implementing congestion charges in Johor Bahru is not suitable at this time.
State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said a comprehensive master plan is needed first to address congestion in the state capital, including improving public transport and rebates for those switching to buses.
“Even before the border reopened post-pandemic, Johor Bahru was already congested. Imposing charges alone won’t solve the problem unless we provide alternatives like rebates for public transport users,” he told reporters after visiting a road upgrade project in Taman Kempas Utama today.
He was responding to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa’s statement that congestion charges in Kuala Lumpur could reduce traffic by 20 per cent, with Georgetown and Johor Bahru also identified as potential cities for implementation.
While welcoming the study, Mohamad Fazli said the implementation requires cooperation from all stakeholders, including local authorities, in addition to considering additional costs for commuters.
Meanwhile, he announced that the RM12 million road upgrade from Taman Kempas Utama to Kampung Maju Jaya, expanding from two to four lanes, is 92 per cent complete and expected to ease congestion once finished in two weeks.
