Starting Tuesday (21 November) until 2 January 2024, drivers can enjoy toll exemptions on the West Coast Expressway (WCE).
The latest section, Section 6, connecting Bandar Bukit Raja Utara to Assam Java, has officially opened, significantly reducing travel time from 45 minutes to just 15 minutes along the existing route, according to the New Straits Times.
Photo via Malay Mail
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi clarified that the toll exemption applies exclusively to highway users entering Section 6 from the Bandar Bukit Raja Utara plaza toll to Assam Jawa plaza toll, or vice versa. However, drivers entering the highway from the Section 5 Bandar Bukit Raja Selatan plaza toll will continue to pay the existing toll rates.
Section 6 marks the latest addition to the 233 km WCE, spanning the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia from Banting, Selangor, to Taiping, Perak.
Out of the total 11 sections, four were opened in 2019 – Section 5 (Bandar Bukit Raja Selatan – Bandar Bukit Raja Utara), Section 8 (Hutan Melintang – Teluk Intan), Section 9 (Lekir – Changkat Chermin), and Section 10 (Changkat Chermin – Beruas).
The entire WCE project is scheduled for completion in early 2025. The opening of this highway is anticipated to boost economic growth, particularly benefiting local populations in small towns in Perak and Selangor.
Works Minister Nanta Linggi highlighted the positive impact of the WCE, citing the development of industrial and logistics activity centers along Section 5 since its opening in 2019.
Bernama reported that an average of 50,000 to 60,000 vehicles already utilize the four operational sections on a daily basis, indicating the significant impact and usage of the WCE.
