NILAI – Heavy vehicles will be kept off the roads on Feb 12, 13, 20 and 21 under a ban to be imposed to avert traffic congestion during the Chinese New Year balik kampung rush.

Road Safety Department deputy director-general Sim Say Kiong said a total ban would be imposed on heavy vehicles such as lorries carrying logs and construction materials like cement, steel, earth and sand; cement mixers; cranes and low-loaders, he told reporters after launching a road safety advocacy campaign at the south-bound Seremban rest and service area near here today.

Replying to a question, Sim said it was a good proposal for expressway concessionaires to provide tow trucks to remove stalled vehicles.

"I understand that the concessionaires do provide tow trucks but their number is probably insufficient.

"We will study the proposal, together with the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), to find solutions to the problem."

184 summonses in KL

In a related development,  a total of 184 summonses were issued today to owners of vehicles which obstructed traffic flow in a joint Ops Halang operation by Kuala Lumpur City Hall, the Road Transport Department and the police.

City Hall Traffic Unit Chief Inspector Shaiful Anuar Shahrom said buses, taxis and private cars were summoned for various offences including waiting too long and obstructing traffic flow as well as parking on yellow lines.

"There were fewer summonses issued compared to the 224 in the second operation on Jan 26," he told reporters after the campaign.

He said 45 summonses were issued against buses, eight against taxis and 131 against private cars.