KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 – The Ministry of Transport has announced road-ban on goods and heavy vehicles, limiting their travel time during the coming Hari Raya festive and holiday period, where thousands are expected to travel by road back to their homes and holiday destinations.
It has also announced a speed limit of 80km per hour on all federal roads in the country during the period.
The road-ban for the specified vehicles will be enforced on April 20 and April 21 as well as April 24 and 25, taking into view that Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated on April 22 and 23 and the anticipated high traffic, especially in private passenger cars, prior to the public holidays and after that.
The ministry in a statement today said this will be part of its move to carry out a Road Safety Campaign just as it has always done during the festive periods to ensure that motorists are extra careful and follow all the road rules to reduce the risk of traffic accidents.
The move is aimed at reducing traffic as well as reducing the risk of accidents on the road brought on by the mix of goods vehicles and private cars on the road during the festive period.
Under the ministry’s circular, No P.U.(A) 123, the road-ban will be enforced on seven different categories of goods vehicles.
The ban will apply throughout April 20 and 21 as well as on April 24 and 25 for goods lorries with the capacity to transport or carry goods weighing more than 7,500 kg, low loader lorries, rig trailers, pole trailers, timber lorries, as well as tow trucks, heavy-wheeled machineries and tractors, although the last three vehicles can be used for emergency operations.
This ban will also apply to lorries carrying more than 7,500 kg of cement, iron, rod, steel, sand, tin, coal or other minerals as well as building and construction materials. Containers carrying goods, except those transporting goods from ports or aiports headed to industrial areas in the same state and vice versa, will also be subjected to the ban.
Meanwhile, containers that will be banned from 12 midnight to 8am during the dates include those carrying electronic and electrical goods, industrial chemicals from the ports or airports to industrial areas in the same state and vice versa.
Also banned from transporting between 12 midnight and 8am will be lorries carrying fresh fruit bunch (palm oil), raw palm oil products, rubber scrap and latex. During the same time period, lorries without any goods, mobile cranes (except in the event of emergencies and any rescue operations) and cement mixer lorries cannot be on the roads.
There will be also a limit on travel distance for these vehicles from six in the evening to 6am with travel only within a 25km from the construction site subject to the permitted time given on selected roads.
The ministry said there will be strict enforcement of the regulations throughout the period and advised road travellers to ensure that they give priority to their safety during their travels.
–WE