Loke: KL Congestion Charge Not On The Table

At this juncture, the government has no plans to introduce a congestion charge for private vehicles in Kuala Lumpur, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

Speaking during a Q&A session at the Dewan Negara, Loke stated, "As such, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has not planned and is not planning to implement a congestion charge at this moment." This is in response to a question from Senator Tan Sri Datuk Low Kian Chuan.

The senator had inquired whether the ministry would consider the charge, given that First Mile and Last Mile connectivity issues have been addressed through on-demand transit van services.

Loke went on to add that a study is currently being conducted by the Malaysian Road Safety Research Institute and the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation. The study examines various aspects of implementation, including potential reductions in traffic volume and increased public transport usage.

Additionally, the ministry is also working on the Klang Valley Public Transport Strategic Plan Study, which includes an Origin-Destination study. This initiative aims to serve as a benchmark for enhancing public transport not only in Kuala Lumpur but also in other states.

Loke also went on to repeat his statement back in Feb where he said,, "Developed countries typically implement congestion charges only after establishing a well-functioning and efficient public transport system."

Source: BERNAMA