AES at 262 locations soon

PUTRAJAYA: The second phase of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) is set to be implemented in stages at 262 locations nationwide by the end of the year.
theSun understands that the Road Transport Department (RTD) and other agencies under the Transport Ministry are gearing up for the expansion of AES with emphasis on signalised intersections in the second phase.
Sources told theSun that instead of placing AES at 831 locations after the pilot stage of 14 locations as originally planned three years ago, the priority at present was to curb red light running (RLR) menaces.
"The focus is now shifted to the safety measure at the traffic light intersections since records have showed that collisions and fatalities have been on the rise due to bikers and drivers beating the red light," the source said.
Based on 2013 statistics, there were 205 crashes at signalised intersections and pedestrian crossings in Malaysia which had resulted in 76 deaths and 129 injuries.
theSun had reported on May 5 that the AES traffic light cameras at four locations in the Kuala Lumpur and Perak have succeeded in reducing the rate of RLR violations by motorcyclists and motorists based on the latest studies done by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros).
It showed an overall reduction of RLR violations at 1.23% one year after the installation and 2.2% six months after the red light camera monitoring system was installed. The non-compliance rate was 4.29% before AES installation.
The leading states for AES second phase rollout at traffic light intersections is Selangor with 38 sites, followed by 32 intersections in Johor, 26 locations in Kedah and 22 sites in Perak.
Other locations are 20 intersections in Terengganu, 18 locations each in Negri Sembilan and Penang respectively, 16 in Kelantan and 72 other locations in Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak, Pahang, Melaka and Putrajaya.
It is learned that discussions already took place since last month between agencies under Transport Ministry and Home Affairs Ministry as well as the new system provider for AES - Irat Properties Sdn Bhd, a joint entity from Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) and Boustead Holdings Berhad, to discuss on the expansion of the controversial enforcement system on a larger scale.

“The takeover process by LTAT and Boustead would be fully completed by September as the new system operator for AES and the way forward would be to execute promptly the second phase as part of government’s 2020 road safety plan,” said the source from Transport Ministry, who was closely involved with the setting up of AES from day one.

However, he said, the thorny legal issue surrounding the pending AES court cases since December 2012 must be resolved by the government before moving on to the second phase.

Efforts to get comments from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai since Friday have been unsuccessful.