Snail’s pace: Heavy traffic trailing along the Causeway towards Johor. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Traffic at the Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) via the Second Link in Iskandar Puteri is expected to experience a high volume of heavy vehicles on certain dates following upgrading works being carried out at the Woodlands side of the Causeway.
Johor Trucking Association president Chai Pei Yoon said lorry operators here were told on Oct 25 by Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that there would be a closure of Woodlands Checkpoint’s cargo zones due to urgent maintenance work required to address safety concerns.
“Due to upgrading work at Woodlands Checkpoint on certain dates, lorries departing Singapore for Malaysia have been diverted to the Second Link since Saturday and Sunday and (will also be diverted on) Nov 17.
“Lorries from Malaysia entering Singapore will have to use the Second Link on Jan 11, Jan 12 and Jan 19 next year,” she said yesterday.
Chai added that the diversion of lorries to the Second Link during the specified dates would increase traffic at KSAB.
She said the redirection of additional lorries from the Causeway to the Second Link would exacerbate congestion at the country’s second land checkpoint with Singapore during those three days in January.
“This redirection will result in increased congestion at both KSAB on the Malaysian side and the Tuas checkpoint on the Singaporean side.
“This will lead to slower clearance times at both checkpoints.”
Chai also said diverting lorries to the Second Link would increase operational costs for lorry operators.
She said the Second Link’s distance from central Johor Baru leads to a longer travel route with higher fuel consumption.
“Toll charges at the Second Link are higher than the Causeway, so lorry operators will be burdened with higher costs for the next six days,” she added.
When contacted, state works, transportation, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said he is aware of the diversion due to the upgrading works at Woodlands.
“So far, I have not received reports of massive traffic congestion at KSAB due to the higher number of lorries on Saturday and Sunday.
“However, we will deploy personnel on the ground to ensure smooth travel for the remaining dates,” he said.
Last Thursday, Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that the cargo zones at Woodlands Checkpoint will be temporarily closed on some days this month and in January 2025 for maintenance and upgrading works.
The ICA had earlier engaged with lorry associations and distributed pamphlets to the lorry drivers plying the land checkpoints, informing them about the temporary closure for lorries for the next six days.
“Lorries seeking immigration clearance at Tuas Checkpoint during the affected days can expect heavier traffic and should allocate additional time for immigration clearance,” said a spokesman from the ICA, adding that they will deploy additional resources to manage the increase in cargo volume at Tuas Checkpoint.
