KUALA LUMPUR: 44 drivers of heavy vehicles, who used highways around the Klang Valley during peak hours were fined in a recent operation.
They were reprimanded under 'Ops Lancar', which was conducted by the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department at the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) on Thursday.
The department's assistant director Superintendent Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said a regulation to prevent heavy vehicles, except for buses to ply the highways in the Klang Valley during morning rush hour has been enforced for more than 10 years, but some drivers continued to flout the law.
"The drivers gave numerous reasons, including feigning ignorance over such a regulation.
"Heavy vehicles with an empty vehicle weight (EVW) of 10,000kg and above are prohibited from using the highway from 6am to 9.30am," he told a press conference after the operation.
Bakri said last year, 2,385 summonses were issued to heavy vehicle drivers for failure to adhere to this rule.
"In 2020, a total of 1,458 summonses were issued. This shows that there was an increase of 927 summonses.
"This operation will continue in order to impose awareness on heavy vehicle drivers," he said, adding that the prohibition was to facilitate traffic movement during the morning peak hours while preventing road accidents.
"The Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department is committed to the enforcement of this regulation. We will take stern action against any individual who is adamant in breaking the law. We are doing this for the sake of the safety of road users," he said.
Three highways under the management of PLUS in the Klang Valley have been prohibiting heavy vehicles, except for buses, during morning peak periods since Aug 2, 2010.