DBKL Mulls Congestion Charge For KL, Lesser Parking In 2017

If Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has its way, the cost of driving into Kuala Lumpur will increase significantly within the next few years.

According to a report by The Sun, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz said that DBKL is considering to implement congestion charges in the central business district of KL after the government enhances the public transportation system in the city.

“Maybe after the completion of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT Line 1),” he told The Sun, after attending the opening of 7th World Class Sustainable Cities Conference.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan also chipped in to say “The government will also impose plans to make it difficult for private vehicles to enter the city. This includes higher development costs for developers or building owners to build car parks which will contribute to high parking charges.”

Dr Loga also added that among the proposals mulled is a reduction in parking bays in the city, but stressed that this will only be executed in stages, once the public transport system is improved.

“When we finalise the study, we will provide lesser parking bays to make more people use public transport after the government put in rail lines such as MRT, LRT and also other public transport services in a big way,” he said.

DBKL did not explain further on the mechanisms to implement congestion charging in KL but sources contacted by The Sun said that an RFID-based technology, implemented on the vehicle's road tax (to be enforced by JPJ), is being considered.

In Singapore, passenger cars driving into the city centre at peak hours are charged between SGD0.50 to SGD5.00, depending on the routes used.

In London, vehicles are charged a flat rate of GBP11.50 if the drive into the city centre anytime between 0700 and 1800 hours daily.