KUALA LUMPUR – Vehicles entering the city centre may be charged a congestion fee once the public transport network system is completed in 2030, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said such fees are already existent in other major cities around the world, with exemption only given to electric vehicles.
He said the proposal to implement either a congestion charge or environmental fee will be deliberated when the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3) is completed.
“Once it is completed in 2030, we will look back at the fee structure for vehicles entering the city,” he told the Dewan Rakyat, today.
“When we have a completed public transport network system, then it is time to look at this particular component.
“This is the correct trend (to introduce the fee), not only for entering vehicles, but in terms of environmental protection too.”
Wee was responding to a supplementary question from Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai-PH) if the government intends to impose a congestion charge in Kuala Lumpur once the MRT3 project is completed.
Earlier, the minister had said that the project, which received the cabinet’s nod on March 4, is expected for completion by 2030, with the first phase to open to the public as early as December 2028.
He said the project will be funded through three different sources, namely sukuk, government guarantee, and deferred payment.
According to Wee, based on the technical feasibility study conducted, the MRT3 line will run for 51km, of which 39km will be within Kuala Lumpur and the remaining 12km in Selangor.
The line will cut through other existing rail systems, including MRT1, MRT2, Light Rail Transit, KL Monorail, and KTM, to form 10 new interchange stations.
He added 80% of the new line will be elevated while 20% will be underground. – The Vibes, March 15, 2022
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