Front Page; Star (08/03/07)

Auto debit at toll plazas soon

It will be a smooth drive along the North-South Expressway when the Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system is implemented by the end of this year. Under the MLFF, the toll charges will be deducted electronically as vehicles bearing special tags pass through toll plazas at normal driving speeds, as there will be no barriers.

KUALA LUMPUR: It will be a smooth drive along the North-South Expressway when the Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system is implemented by the end of this year.

Under the MLFF, which is similar to systems used extensively in Europe, the United States, Australia, Canada and Singapore, the toll charges will be deducted electronically as vehicles bearing special tags pass through toll plazas at normal driving speeds, as there will be no barriers.

Efkon Asia Sdn Bhd, a local consultant appointed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA), is in the final stages of completing its feasibility study and submitting its recommendations.

The recommendations will be discussed in a committee comprising officials from the Works Ministry, MHA, toll concessionaires and Rangkaian Segar, the operator of the Touch ‘n' Go electronic payment system and SmartTag, before the MLFF electronic toll is implemented.

Efkon chief operating officer Helmuth Blausch said the MLFF would reduce congestion at toll plazas, be environmentally friendly and increase road safety.

“Some of the advantages include improved traffic flow, reduction in travel time, savings on fuel and cutting down the vehicle's wear and tear,” he said in an interview.

There are over 650,000 SmartTags in circulation at present.

Blausch said it was wise to expand on the existing system rather than replacing it.

“There is no need for the replacement of tags and the system infrastructure, and we also avoid the pitfalls from putting a new and untested system in place.

“All the technology used in the SmartTag lane is easily extended to high-speed MLFF,” he said.

Under the MLFF system, a laser scanner would detect and classify the vehicle, triggering the camera system to capture an image of it on the dedicated lanes on the expressway.

It will then debit the amount and inform the user of the correct payment.