Stricter monitoring to identify motorists using emergency lane: Anthony Loke

KUALA LUMPUR: A stricter monitoring, including with the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, will be carried out along the North South Expressway during this Aidilfitri festive season to identity errant motorists, especially those using the emergency lane.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said 150 CCTVs , to a distance of 10km each, had been installed by PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) along the North South Expressway for the purpose.
"PLUS will monitor all the CCTVs through its control centre and they will zoom in on motorists abusing the emergency lane to get information on the vehicles and then report the matter to the Road Transport Department which will issue the summons," he told a media conference at Persada PLUS here today.
Loke said since Ops Bersepadu in conjunction with Aidilfitri was conducted last June 7, a total of 83 summonses had been issued to motorists for abusing the emergency lane.
He called on the public with information on motorists abusing the emergency lane, like having a recording of such an act on their mobile phone or car camera, to lodge a report with RTD for further action to be taken.
Meanwhile, Loke said PLUS had recorded 190 cases of road accidents, including two fatal cases, between June 8 and yesterday on the North South Expressway, compared with 220 cases, with 10 fatal cases, during the corresponding period last year.
He said that from today until tomorrow (June 13 and 14), heavy vehicles were barred from entering the expressways to reduce traffic congestion.
PLUS, he said, would also undertake several measures, including conducting air patrols using a helicopters and open contra routes at several locations, when necessary, to reduce traffic congestion.
Earlier, Loke , together with a few PLUS officials, went on a helicopter to observe traffic flow on the North-South Expressway and along Jalan Duta.
So far, the traffic condition is under control and an estimated two million vehicles are expected to enter the North South Expressway beginning this evening, he said.
Also present were Malaysia Highway Authority director-general Datuk Ir Ismail Md Salleh, PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail and RTD enforcement director Datuk Ahmad Nasir Abdul Gani. — Bernama