Toll Reduction Dream

No one could have missed the screaming headlines from all the MSM newspapers today. Toll rates nationwide could go down. Am I dreaming? Are you dreaming? Maybe we should all have a giant gathering and pinch each other to see if this is true or merely a dream.

Dream or reality is beside the point. The point is that finally, somebody has seen fit to realise and come to their senses regarding this heavy burden that road users have been complaining about for years. If it is true that the government is finally going to reassess or review toll agreements, it is indeed a godsend for the regular joe who dreads having to drive through these blood-suckers daily.
However, it was interesting to read the report in the paper where the minister is quoted as saying that some toll operators are not making profits due to low volume of traffic. Therefore the government needs to continuously subsidise them (as per the concession agreement) and the public have to continue paying high rates.

Now, if you were to tell me that this minister is referring to a highway such as the Seremban - PD highway, i might buy it. Reason being the last time used it, almost a year and a half ago, it was practically empty. But unfortunately the highways the minister refers to in his quote are among others, the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) and the Shah Alam Expressway, which I believe most of us know as KESAS.

Saying that these two tolled highways yield less than enough profits due to lack of traffic volume is downright unbelievable. Just ask anyone who uses these roads on daily basis. Traffic on the KESAS highway is so heavy that in the mornings there are stretches that require the opening up of an additional lane on the opposing direction to allow for the smooth flow of traffic. Something not dissimilar to a heart bypass happens daily because the highway is choking to death and yet we have a minister who says there's not enough traffic flow. Don't really know the situation about the NPE though because I hardly ever use it. But I did have an opportunity to use it this morning, AFTER reading the newspaper report and the word that came to mind as I was crawling through the traffic was HOGWASH. Either the honorable minister was spewing hogwash or the respected newspaper was reporting hogwash.

Anyway, like I questioned at the beginning of this rant, am I dreaming? IS it too good to be true? Is the BN government suddenly developing a sense of responsibility towards the people? Can it be possible? I don't know. Only time will tell. Until then, a little hope never killed anyone...