KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to adopt the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) system for highways by 2020.
This will signal an end to toll booth plazas with barriers, enabling motorists to zoom through with cashless payment.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the system would enable faster cashless toll collection without the use of booths on highways.
"This will be carried out after we introduce the single lane free flow in 2019. The Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system is already being implemented in stages.
"So far, 51 out of the 177 toll plazas or 28 per cent had implemented the system. The cash payment for tolls will cease by 2018.
"After a full conversion of the ETC system on all highways, we will proceed with the single lane free flow and multi-lane free flow later in 2020. It will see the use of a sticker installed on vehicles (stored with value for payment). The system will be backed by a service provider which is currently offered by Touch 'N Go.
"With MLFF, the cashless payment will be carried out at high speed as it will not have any plaza booths with barricades," she said in reply to a question by Datuk Seri Boon Som Inong.
Rosnah said based on a study by the Malaysian Highway Authority, it was found that the ETC system had managed to reduce between 30 and 50 per cent traffic congestion at toll plazas.
"The usage rate among motorists have also increased from 65 per cent to 85 per cent (after implementation of ETC), as it allows them to save time. An average of six seconds is needed for payment at Touch 'N Go lane, 3 seconds at Smart Tag lane, compared to a waiting time of 15 seconds at cash booths at toll plazas," she said.