Travelling For the Long Weekend? These Are The Advised Times According to Highway Operators

Tomorrow (31st July) is the first day of Hari Raya Haji and many people have already taken their leaves and are travelling right now.

PDRM estimates that there will be a total of two million vehicles on the highway from 29th July to 2nd August, reported Bernama. Since that is a substantial amount of cars, 1,450 police officers will be deployed to make sure there is no traffic congestion at some hotspots.

Motorists are caught in a traffic jam as they return to the city following the Eid al-Fitr holidays along a highway in Bentong, outside Kuala Lumpur on July 11, 2016. – The Eid al-Fitr festival marks the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)

To make things more convenient for road users, highway operators have released a Travel Time Advisory.

PLUS HIGHWAY

If you want to go to Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Northern Perak and Johor on the 29th/30th July from the Klang Valley, then you should enter the highway before 10am. For other states, you should enter the highway after 2pm.

If you want to come back to Klang Valley on 1st to 3rd August, then you should enter the highway before 9am.

Cars of foreign and local makes drive along a highway in Kuala Lumpur 08 December 2002. Foreign automakers have reason to smile about the opening of markets in Southeast Asia under the Free Trade Area (AFTA) plan but local assemblers and distributors are sporting deep frowns as foreign manufacturers have begun phasing out franchises in order to cut out middlemen and boost their direct presence in the region. AFP PHOTO / Jimin LAI (Photo by JIMIN LAI / AFP)

To make things easier for motorists, PLUS has halted highway maintenance and repair works until 3rd August. Crane and tow truck services will be available at 14 strategic locations on the highway, according to Bernama.

Reload lanes at toll plazas will be closed to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, so motorists are encouraged to reload their Touch n Go cards before entering the highway.

They are also encouraged to download the PLUS phone application to pre-order food in the R&R stations.

East Coast Expressway (E8)

According to Bernama, for today (30th July), road users from KL/Selangor will have two-time options when heading towards Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

To Pahang: 10 am to 1 pm or 8 pm to 11 pm

To Terengganu and Kelantan: 6 am and 10 am or 5 pm to 8 pm.

If you want to return to Kuala Lumpur/Selangor on 1st and 2nd August, you are advised to enter the highways at these times.

From Pahang: 6 am and 10 am or 7 pm to 11 pm

From Terengganu (via the Kuala Terengganu Toll Plaza): 10 am to 1 pm or 8 pm to 10 pm

From Kelantan (via the Kuala Terengganu Toll Plaza): 5 pm to 9 pm or 9 pm to midnight

Before you get on the road for the long travel, make sure you have had enough sleep and that your car is serviced so that it is not on the verge of breaking down. Drive safely and within the speed limit for the sake of you and your family’s safety. If you need to stretch, go on and do it at the R&R stations and when you’re there, remember to wear your mask and practice social distancing.

When you’re elsewhere, remember to always abide by the SOPs given by the government as we really cannot afford to have a third wave. 

Also read: Hari Raya Haji SOPs & More, Here’s Everything You Missed From The Defence Minister’s Update