Motorists enjoy easy return to Klang Valley

Source: The Star

PETALING JAYA: Motorists returning to the Klang Valley following the end of the school holidays were delighted to enjoy a smooth journey home, except for slow traffic flow at a few stretches along the North-South Expressway (NSE).

Plus Expressways, the NSE concessionaire, said traffic flow was smooth early yesterday but volume increased after 10am, which caused slowdowns at certain parts of the highway.

A Plus spokesman said the affected areas were near Permatang Pauh in Penang, between Gopeng and Kampar, as well as from Sungkai to Slim River in Perak.

Further south, slow traffic was reported near Pedas-Linggi, Negri Sembilan and Ayer Keroh in Melaka.

"There were no major accidents. There was just an increase in vehicles, but traffic was constantly moving, not at a standstill. We expect traffic to increase, but not to the extent of causing a massive jam," said the spokesman when contacted.

Meanwhile, a high number of road users had pulled over for lunch with their families and relatives at the Sungai Buloh R&R area prior to returning home.

Husaini Asri, who was resting on a patio with his family after returning from Ipoh, Perak, after a three-day holiday, said it took him two and a half hours to get to Sungai Buloh.

"Our drive was a bit stretched by about 20 minutes due to the slow traffic near Sungkai, but we are glad that the traffic was moving and not at a standstill," said the 43-year-old project executive.

Ng Kok Wah, 55, who had pulled over for a break with his wife, two children and mother-in-law, said he was returning to Kajang after leaving Taiping, Perak, at about 9am.

The owner of a car repair workshop said he had expected heavy traffic but was pleasantly surprised to find smooth traffic flow.

According to online live traffic monitoring camera images on Jalanow.com, an overturned lorry near Genting Sempah led to slow traffic on the KL-Karak Expressway at about 4pm.

Traffic was also heavy near Bentong and the Gombak toll plaza, but elsewhere, there was smooth traffic flow.