Hauliers Slam Proposed Klang Valley Highway Ban for Heavy Vehicles

The logistics sector has raised concerns over the government’s plans to impose new restrictions on heavy vehicle movements along key expressways in the Klang Valley.

According to an announcement by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) on Facebook, the restrictions will take effect this month starting from Feb 19. They will apply to four major expressways: the North-South Expressway (NSE/PLUS), North Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), Elite Expressway between Shah Alam and Saujana Putra, and Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE).

To ease congestion, heavy vehicles classified under Class 2 and 3 toll categories will be barred from using these expressways during peak hours. The restricted times are 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM in the morning, followed by a second window from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the evening across weekdays (Mondays to Fridays).

Exemptions will be granted for buses, refuse trucks and vehicles involved in public cleaning, emergency services, and highway maintenance. LLM stated that these regulations were officially gazetted since Oct 21 last year.

Following this, the Association of Malaysia Hauliers (AMH) has voiced their criticism of the decision, citing a lack of consultation with industry stakeholders from the government. AMH executive secretary Mohamad Azuan Masud highlighted that around 1,000 lorries operated by its members would be directly affected and thousands more taking into account non-member vehicles.

Azuan argued that the existing movement restrictions already cause longer working hours for drivers. This leads to inefficiencies in the supply chain often facing scheduling issues due to restricted movement times.

“If a haulier needs to transport an empty container from Port Klang to a factory in Bentong in the morning, the driver must leave before the restriction starts. This means they arrive too early when the factory is still closed, leading to unnecessary waiting time. Alternatively, waiting until the restriction period ends results in delivery delays,” explained Azuan.

Azuan also emphasised that haulage operations are crucial to the nation’s import-export ecosystem. Disruptions could negatively impact the economy. He also pointed out that most haulage trips involve port terminals rather than city centers. However, many routes inevitably pass through urban areas.

The new restrictions have also drawn criticism from the public. One social media user, Firdaus Abd Latiff, sarcastically suggested that authorities might as well ban lorries from operating on weekdays altogether.

“Movement restrictions starting at 4:30 PM? Do you think lorries work office hours only? Congratulations to whoever designed this regulation,” he wrote.

Another commenter pointed out that heavy vehicle operators already pay significantly higher toll rates under Class 2 and 3 categories. Yet, they still face mounting restrictions.

In response to the backlash, an LLM official stated that an engagement session would be held with industry stakeholders before the enforcement of these restrictions by the police and Road Transport Department. However, no specific date for the session was provided.

As the deadline for implementation approaches, industry players are calling for a reconsideration of the restrictions warning that the move could disrupt logistics operations and the broader economy.

Source: The STAR