I am a regular user of the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) or E10. If what I hear about the possibility of tolls being raised is true, it will be nothing less than highway robbery! Although using the NPE cuts down travelling time by almost half, for which I am grateful, I am not prepared to pay any increase in toll since I am already dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in view of one or more or all of the following 10 reasons each time I use the NPE:

1. The NPE is supposed to be an expressway and yet there are numerous stretches along the way when the speed limit is reduced to 60kph (less than 40mph!) e.g. the long stretch before the second toll plaza if one is driving from KL to Subang Jaya. Some city roads have even higher speed limits e.g. Jalan Kinabalu. The lower limits should be introduced only for exit ramps or exit lanes and not on the main highway itself.

2. The expansion joints along the elevated sections of the NPE frequently are not properly repaired when there are defects. Although I am not an engineer, the original materials look like they are made of rubber or similar materials and they give a smooth ride but in many places now the joints have been repaired using asphalt/bitumen. In many cases, the workmanship is shoddy with either bumps or dips, hence resulting in a bumpy ride.

3. Expressways are supposed to be smooth drive-through e.g. in Australia the toll collection is seamless and transparent. But in Malaysia probably because people are less “trustworthy”, we have toll plazas with boom gates to collect tolls. The operator should encourage more people to use SmartTAG or Touch ‘n Go cards to reduce congestion at the toll plazas. One way of doing this is give away or subsidide the SmartTAG devices.

4. There are three SmartTAG lanes at each plaza but frequently one of them, especially the one for BET, is shut down. Why? SmartTAG lanes don’t need people to staff them. Instead of opening up more SmartTAG lanes and encouraging motorists to use them, the operator closes down an existing SmartTAG lane!

5. Worst still, occasionally (albeit rarely) the SmartTAG readers at certain lanes malfunction and don’t work properly. On such occasions, sometimes it is faster to use the Touch ‘n Go lanes!

6. The road surface is not level at one place (on the extreme left lane just before the second toll plaza from Subang Jaya to KL) so that when one drives over it gives the sensation that is similar to that of a coaster roller ride!

7. Many of the lights at the tunnel after Angkasapuri are not working even though it is still under the jurisdiction of the NPE operator.

8. Whenever it rains, a small section on the extreme left carriageway after the first toll plaza (just outside the exit to PJCC) from KL to Subang Jaya gets flooded.

9. More than 90 percent of the motorists do not follow the speed limits - probably driving 80kph or possibly even 90kph along those stretches where the limit is only 60kph. The fact that people consistently exceed the speed limits indicates that the limits are not realistic and should be reviewed and revised if necessary.

10. Enforcement is weak. What is the point of having speed limits when most of the time people break the law? If the limits are realistic and valid, then lawbreakers put the lives of themselves and other road users in danger. Therefore, the limits must be enforced. Otherwise, review and revise the limits as per item 9 above.

I hope that the operator of NPE will look into the above issues and take remedial actions.